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LibDem PPC Cllr Graham Longley calls on local Tory MP to pay back £7,000
June 10, 2009 10:00 AM
Open letter to James Dudderidge MP Rochford & Southend East
From
Cllr Graham Longley Lib Dem PPC Rochford & Southend East
28 McDivitt Walk, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 5UD - Tel H 01702 520234 M 07711980381
Dear James
The last few weeks must have been fairly difficult to cope with especially over the matter of parliamentary expenses. As your opponent for the next General Election it would have been very easy to make capital out of your situation but in fact I have not needed to do so - the press have stirred the water enough without my help and the local residents are clearly not happy.
Your Evening Echo feature on Friday went a long way to explaining your position especially as a new member of Parliament still learning the "ropes" and you were clear in your statement that you would be prepared to "pay back" the money you spent on the first flat which I believe you openly told me you are renting out.
Your words quoted in the Echo were "I would consider repaying it. Certainly if the scrutiny panel said I should and if the independent review body said it was wrong."
The implication of course in that sentence is that you "might not" pay it back!
It would be my belief, from the people I have spoken to in the constituency that the electors would consider that, unacceptable especially as you are, one assumes receiving rental income.
In order to avoid further confrontation might I suggest that you do away with the uncertainty and pay back immediately, like other members caught in the same trap, the £7,000 referred to.
As I said earlier James, I have stayed out of the argument but your uncertainty leads me to make this one entry into the discussion and to formally ask you to repay the sum referred to with a view to clearing away this lingering problem which if you wait for the scrutiny panels and independent review body will only fester further.
Yours faithfully
Cllr Graham Longley
LibDem PPC Rochford & Southend East
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