Cheating MPs' wages stopped until they pay back expenses

MPs were today ordered to pay back excessive expenses or suffer the humiliation of having their salary stopped.

New rules rushed through this afternoon brought howls of outrage from a hardcore of 50 to 100 grandees whose debts are understood to total more than half a million pounds.

Under the new system, they will have one chance to appeal in writing to a former law lord, Sir Paul Kennedy.

But his verdict will be final and any refusal to pay will be dealt with by extracting money from future salary and allowances.

In a tough ruling, a committee headed by Speaker John Bercow declared that the Commons will vote in January to approve the rules and ensure that they are speeded through.

Sources said that the entire process will be finished well before the election, to prevent retiring MPs escaping the net.

Sir Stuart Bell, a senior Labour member of the Members' Estimates Committee which set the rules, said: "There will be no backsliding for MPs who decline to pay back. There will be no stringing it out till the election.

"From late January, if they don't pay back they won't get paid until the debt is clear."