By Martin Banks - 8th March 2011
I want to stress that I have decided not to claim the allowance for this particular day
Robert Sturdy
UK Tory MEP Robert Sturdy has made a robust defence of his integrity after a newspaper investigation caught him signing for a €300 daily allowance and then leaving parliament.
Sturdy was one of numerous MEPs who were filmed signing for the daily allowance shortly after 7am on a Friday then immediately leaving Brussels to return to their home constituencies.
On Tuesday, Sturdy told this website that while the incident had been the cause of "some amusement" among his UK constituents, he stood by what he had done.
He said he had attended a meeting in parliament until "at least 8pm" on the Thursday, the day before the newspaper undercover operation.
"I incurred substantial additional costs by staying late on the Thursday and I was entitled to claim for this.
"In theory, I could have caught the last Eurostar train home on the Thursday but decided to stay in Brussels. I signed for the allowance on the Friday because I wanted to put on record, not least for my own constituents, that I was still in Brussels on that day.
"I want to stress that I have decided not to claim the allowance for this particular day."
He added, "In some ways, you could say it was my fault for being 'caught' signing in on the Friday, but I was not to know there was a newspaper undercover operation there that day."
"I firmly believe that MEPs have the right to claim for the allowance on a Friday but only on condition that they are in Brussels on legitimate parliamentary business."
He added, "As long as I meet this criteria, I shall continue to sign in on Fridays. I see this is a privilege afforded to MEPs who want to do their job properly."
In the News of the World exposure, Sturdy was filmed signing for the allowance and, shortly afterwards, getting in a cab for a eurostar train from Brussels to London.
He said, "The fact that I have not drawn the money has nothing to do with the article. I only claim my allowances if I feel they are fully justified. I have done nothing wrong but do feel a certain sense of bitterness because I have been portrayed as yet another 'money-grabbing' politician.
"Of course, the press will have a go at anything they see as us having our 'snouts in the trough', but I must say I do not approve of the way they went about this."
UK Socialist deputy Peter Skinner, another of the deputies caught signing for the allowance then leaving for London, told this website, "At present, it is best that I do not comment."
The original version of this article included an incorrect quote citing Sturdy as saying he had "now drawn the money". This should have read "not drawn the money".
TheParliament.com apologises for any confusion this may have caused.
