Tories 'to move on' after cash row

12 April 2012

Tory MP Derek Conway has announced he will step down at the next election, after embroiling the Conservatives in "sleaze" allegations over payments to his family.

The Old Bexley and Sidcup MP decided to quit the Commons after further talks with Chief Whip Patrick McCloughlin, as Scotland Yard confirmed they had received a letter of complaint over the affair.

A senior Tory source said simply: "Derek has done the right thing. We can now move on."

Mr Conway said in a statement released by the party: "I have had tremendous support from my local party, my family and friends but have concluded that it is time to step down.

"Since joining the Conservative Party nearly 40 years ago I have had the privilege of serving in public office since 1974 and have done so to the best of my ability. I have advised the Chief Whip and the chairman of my local Conservative Association that I shall not seek to continue as the Conservative Party candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup at the next election.

"Though not an original supporter of David Cameron for the leadership of my party, I believe that he has shown he has both the ability and the character to be Prime Minister of our country and I do not wish my personal circumstances to be a distraction in any way from the real issues that have to be addressed."

Mr Conway, who was earlier stripped of the Tory whip, was found to have "misused" parliamentary funds by paying an annual £11,773 salary, plus bonuses totalling more than £10,000, to his younger son Freddie while he was a full-time student in Newcastle.

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee found the arrangement was "at the least, an improper use of Parliamentary allowances: at worst, it was a serious diversion of public funds".

MPs will vote on its recommendation that Mr Conway should be suspended from the Commons for 10 days and required to repay up to £13,161 of the cash.

He also now faces a possible police inquiry and fresh sleaze investigations into complaints about payments made to his other son, Henry. Scotland Yard confirmed that it had received a letter from Duncan Borrowman, the Liberal Democrat challenger for the MP's parliamentary seat, asking officers to examine whether a fraud had been committed.

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