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Standards Commissioner rejects complaint about Nadine Dorries' use of parliamentary allowances - after a 15-month inquiry

By Tim Montgomerie

DORRIES-Nadine I am delighted to report that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, has rejected a complaint from the BNP that Nadine Dorries MP abused her Parliamentary allowances and, in particular, her second home allowance.

Nadine Dorries has been subject to some very nasty attacks from the blogosphere and something of a vendetta from The Telegraph after, in the middle of the expenses row, she had criticised the newspaper's owners. I hope The Telegraph has the good grace to report her exoneration prominently tomorrow.

The cloud of the inquiry has been hanging over Nadine Dorries for fifteen months, including over the General Election period. If the MP for Mid Bedfordshire had been defending a much more marginal seat the slowness of Mr Lyons' inquiry might have ended Ms Dorries' career. I hope - now the flood of expenses-related allegations is retreating - future investigations can be much, much speedier.

In a brief statement, she says:

“It is a relief that after fifteen months I can once again hold my head up. I am delighted to have my name cleared. Over 52% of my constituencts who know me were wonderful and put their faith in me once again at the 2005 2010 election returning me with a massively increased majority of over 15,000. I am thankful that I can now demonstrate their faith was well placed."

> Full Report from Standards and Privileges Committee here.

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