Lord Hanningfield faces expenses charges (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Lord Hanningfield faces expenses charges

2:36pm Friday 5th February 2010

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LORD Hanningfield is to face six charges of dishonestly claiming expenses.

The leader of Essex County Council and Tory peer has been accused by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to claims made between March 2006 and May 2009.

Lord Hanningfield, county councillor for Stock, was suspended from the parliamentary Conservative Party today (Friday) and resigned his position as a frontbench business spokesman in the House of Lords.

A party spokesman said: "Lord Hanningfield has resigned his frontbench position and the whip is being suspended."

Lord Hanningfield said he refuted the charges and would "vigorously" defend himself against them.

He said: "I have never claimed more in expenses than I have spent in the course of my duties.

"To avoid any embarrassment or distraction for my party, I am standing down from my frontbench duties in the House of Lords with immediate effect."

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