MP Illsley to quit over expenses fraud

Independent MP Eric Illsley said today he “deeply, deeply” regretted his actions and would be resigning before his sentencing next month.

Yesterday Illsley became the first sitting MP to be convicted of expenses fraud. He admitted falsely claiming more than £14,000 in expenses for items such as council tax, service charges, telephone usage and insurance.

Illsley changed his plea to guilty of three charges of false accounting when he appeared for trial at Southwark Crown Court yesterday.

The MP had originally denied dishonestly claiming more than £25,000 on his second home in south London. But the prosecution said it would accept his guilty plea to the lesser amount of around £14,500.

Resignation

In a statement released today Illsley apologised to the constituents of Barnsley Central.

“I would like to apologise to my constituents, family and friends, following my court appearance, for the distress and embarrassment caused by my actions that I deeply, deeply regret,” the statement said.

“I have begun to wind down my parliamentary office, following which I will resign from Parliament before my next court appearance.

“I will be making no further comment.”

Illsley was suspended from the Labour Party following the charges but carried on sitting as an independent member.

The revelation yesterday that he could potentially receive his salary while in prison if a sentence of less than 12 months is imposed prompted both David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband to urge him to go voluntarily.

The resignation will now trigger a by-election in Barnsley Central.

The former Labour MP David Chaytor became the first person to be jailed over the expenses scandal last Friday.

He was sentenced to 18 months after admitting he forged tenancy documents and invoices to falsely claim more than £22,000 of taxpayers’ money for rent and IT work from House of Commons authorities.