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British leaders apologise in expenses row
AFP - Tuesday, May 12
LONDON (AFP) - - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised after days of embarrassing revelations about lawmakers' expenses, as a poll Tuesday suggests public support for the main parties is taking a hit.
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On the fifth day of newspaper disclosures, opposition Conservative MPs were revealed to have claimed taxpayers' money to maintain swimming pools and housekeepers and in one MP's case, to dredge the moat at his country house.
The details emerged after days of revelations about the expenses of lawmakers from Brown's ruling Labour party, which have prompted public outrage in a country struggling with a deep recession.
A new Populus poll for The Times newspaper, carried out over the weekend after the first revelations emerged on Friday, indicated that both main parties were suffering from the scandal.
Brown's Labour party fell four points on last month to 26 percent, while the main opposition Conservatives were also down four, to 39 percent.
The smaller Liberal Democrats -- whose expenses have yet to be published -- were up four to 22 percent, while other parties were up four to 13 percent.
Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron have both apologised, after a survey on Sunday showed that 89 percent of respondents said the reputation of MPs had been damaged by the nature of the previously secret claims.
"I want to apologise on behalf of politicians, on behalf of all parties for what has happened in the events of these last few days," Brown said Monday in a speech to a nurses' conference in Harrogate, northern England.
Parliamentarians "have a responsibility to show that people who enter our profession are there to serve the public interest, and not to serve themselves," Brown said.
Cameron also said it was "not good enough" for parliamentarians to claim they were simply following the rules allowing them to claim expenses.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper, which reportedly paid a six-figure sum for details of the claims, revealed Tuesday that three senior Tory MPs claimed swimming pool maintenance costs. They have now agreed to repay the money.
Former agriculture secretary Douglas Hogg, meanwhile, claimed expenses for his housekeeper and spent more than 2,000 pounds (3,000 dollars, 2,200 euros) clearing the moat on his estate in Lincolnshire, in the east Midlands.
Another Conservative MP, David Heathcoat-Amory, was revealed to have claimed almost 400 pounds on sacks of horse manure for his garden.
Cameron himself emerged unscathed by the revelations, while Brown is still fighting off accusations that he abused the system by paying his brother 6,000 pounds for arranging cleaning services for his private home.
The drip-drip of revelations has led to calls from Brown and Cameron for the expenses system to be overhauled -- and House of Commons speaker Michael Martin confirmed proposals for a "serious change" to the system of MPs' allowances.
"Working to the rules and the rules alone isn't what is expected of any honourable member," Martin said in a statement in parliament on Monday. "It is important that the spirit of what is right must be brought in now."
Brown's spokesman told journalists: "Of course we need to have a proper and thorough reform of the system for MPs' allowances."
Copies of the expenses receipts -- with private details such as addresses edited out -- were due to be made public in July.
The House of Commons Commission, which oversees lawmakers' affairs, said it would consider releasing them earlier in light of the newspaper revelations.
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The Houses of Parliament in central London. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised after days of embarrassing revelations about lawmakers' expenses, as a poll Tuesday suggests public support for the main parties is taking a hit.
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