The Telegraph reports...
MPs' expenses: Bill Wiggin told to repay £4,294 and apologise to Commons
A Conservative whip has been ordered to repay more than £4,000 and apologise to the Commons after over-claiming on his expenses.
The charges against Bill Wiggin are that he claimed expenses to the tune of £11,514 for interest payments on a phantom mortage, that is, for a mortgage that does not exist on his £480,000 country house in his constituency. When Elliot Morley claimed £16,000 on expenses for a non existent mortgage, the police were called in and he has been charged for theft and fraud. In what way is Bill Wiggin with his bill rigging any different?
Bill Wiggin owns another property in London worth £900,000. Apparently, Wiggin meant to designate this as his second home, but had "inadvertantly" over 2 years put "the wrong address on 23 consecutive monthly claim forms". This is not a single mistake, but a serial offender at work!
In addition, Wiggin "over-claimed on his £2,449 utilities bill for 2005-06, and on his service and maintenance claims of £1,440 in 2004-05 and £2,449 in 2005-06".
He claimed over £4,000 of taxpayers money to pay for his wife's PR business phone bills!
Wiggin has been asked to "repay the £285 he over-claimed in respect of council tax in 2005-06". Plus, repay £4,009 in over claimed expenses. According to my maths, this is only a third of the amount he has stolen from the public purse. I cannot understand why the Standards and Privileges Committee are being so lenient upon a millionaire thief. It only sends out the wrong message that if you are a MP crime pays!
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