Luton South MP Margaret Moran was forced to defend herself yesterday (May 10) following national newspaper claims that she spent £22,500 of taxpayers' money on repairs to dry rot at her partner's seaside home.

The Labour MP's expense claims were revealed in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday and as well as the dry rot included several claims for decorating and furnishing her second home, which the paper said had 'flipped' over the years between Westminster, Luton and Southampton.

But the House of Commons fees office said the MP's claims had not techically broken any rules.

Ms Moran told the BBC's Politics Show on Sunday that the claims were necessary in order for her to have a normal family life.

She said: "Any MP has to have a proper family life, they have to have the support of their partner.

"It is all within the claims policy and that's why I'm angry about this because not only has it been very stressful for me and my family, it gives the incredibly misleading impression that somehow we've been dodgy, that we've been fraudulent or we've been corrupt. Nothing is further from the truth."

But Nigel Huddleston, the Conservative candidate hoping to snatch the Luton South seat at the next general election, said the claims were "a disgrace".

He said: "This revelation is absolutely outrageous and yet does not surprise me in the slightest - and I doubt anyone in Luton will be surprised, either.

"It speaks volumes about how out of touch Ms Moran is that she sees nothing wrong in this behaviour, despite clearly breaking the spirit of the rules."

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