By Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor A Tory MP has criticised The Sunday Telegraph over the newspaper's key role in opening up parliamentarians' expenses to greater scrutiny. Julian Lewis, a Tory frontbencher, claimed that Ben Leapman, this newspaper's deputy news editor, "ought to be ashamed of himself" for waging a legal battle to win more transparency, and accused him of writing an "inane" article on the issue. However, Dr Lewis's attack led other MPs to criticise his stance and defend the rights of the press. Leapman was one of three journalists who began a legal bid for details of MPs' second-home expenses under the Freedom of Information Act. The case, which went to the High Court, resulted in the disclosure of the "John Lewis list" – under which MPs can claim thousands of pounds from the taxpayer to equip their second...
[read full story]
Your Web Site
