Douglas Hogg, the Tory MP whose claim for clearing the moat at his country estate came to symbolise the excesses of the MPs' expenses system, is to stand down at the next general election.
Mr Hogg said he was making clear his intentions in order to give his local constituency party in Lincolnshire time to select a candidate for the election.
"I entirely understand the public anger that has erupted over expenses. The current system is deeply flawed; we parliamentarians have got it wrong and I apologise for that failure which is both collective and personal," he said.
And he went on: "In view of David Cameron's campaign for an early election - which I strongly support - I have decided that now is the time to tell the Sleaford and North Hykeham Association that I will not be standing in the coming election.
"This will give them time to select a new candidate to best represent local and national interests."
Mr Hogg, a former agriculture minister who is also Viscount Hailsham, argued that he had not actually claimed for the £2,200 bill for clearing the moat at his estate - parts of which date back to the 13th century.
But he subsequently agreed to pay back the money after accepting that it had not been "positively excluded" from paperwork he submitted to the Commons Fees Office in support of his allowances claim for upkeep of the estate.
Other items that appeared on his schedule of costs, according to the Daily Telegraph which obtained details of all MPs' expenses, included bills for piano tuning, stable repairs, and the salary for a housekeeper.
In his statement, he stressed that in 2007/08, 550 MPs claimed more in expenses than he did.
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