MP 'claimed for own firm's flat'

Mr Binley said he would not allow the Telegraph to 'bring him down'

A Conservative MP has defended his actions after it was reported he claimed more than £50,000 in expenses to rent a flat from his own company.

Brian Binley, MP for Northampton South, said he had acted "honestly and properly" regarding his claims and did not feel obliged to repay any money.

The Daily Telegraph said his claims came despite a ban on MPs renting homes from firms they have an interest in.

Mr Binley said he was happy to justify his actions to his constituents.

Rules change

Mr Binley said his rental arrangements were agreed before the ban came into force and represented a "very good deal" for the taxpayer.

Mr Binley is chairman of a company called BCC Marketing and after he was elected as an MP in 2005, the firm bought a flat close to Westminster.

This place is not going to criminalise me Brian Binley

According to the Telegraph, in early 2006, Mr Binley moved into that flat and began claiming £1,500 a month from parliamentary expenses to cover the rent.

Two months later, Commons' rules were changed, making it explicit that MPs could no longer rent properties from businesses in which they had an interest.

At that point, Mr Binley was reportedly told by the Fees Office that his arrangement with BCC would have to end, but he appealed against that decision to the Speaker.

The process of appeal took almost two and a half years - a period in which the paper says Mr Binley continued claiming the money.

Once the appeal was finally rejected, Mr Binley accepted the decision and moved out.

'Honest and open'

The MP told the BBC he had lodged an appeal because he did not want to move and because he did not think it was right to break the contractual arrangement that was in place with BCC.

He said the appeal was legitimate and insisted that he had "acted correctly in every respect" during the process.

Since he moved, he was having to claim an extra £2,000 or £3,000 in expenses to pay for the new flat, he added.

In sometimes strong and colourful language, Mr Binley said he would not allow the Telegraph to "bring him down".

"This place is not going to criminalise me," he said. "I have been honest and open about everything I have done."

Tory leader David Cameron has said any MPs found to have made unjustified claims will have to repay the money and if they refuse, will lose the party whip.

Mr Binley said he would not repay any money and stated, "in this instance", he disagreed with Mr Cameron.

The Conservative leadership has not commented on Mr Binley's case and the MP said he did not expect to be asked by his leader to explain his actions.

The Tories are in the process of completing their internal review of all their MPs expenses.

The latest claims by the Daily Telegraph came after Jim Devine became the fifth Labour MP to be barred from standing at the next election over his expenses claims.

The Livingston MP was accused of submitting receipts for £2,000 in electrical work from a firm which did not exist. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The Telegraph's expenses stories have led to the resignation of nearly a dozen MPs, more than £300,000 in money repaid, and calls from across the political spectrum for root and branch reform of Parliament.

On Thursday, details of all MPs' expenses for the past four years will be published online.

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