After learning of The Telegraph investigation last night, David Curry resigned as chairman of the parliamentary standards and privileges committee and now faces a formal inquiry into his claims. The Skipton and Ripon MP, 65, is accused of having an affair with a headmistress in his constituency and using a taxpayer-funded cottage to meet his lover. Our investigation has learned that four years ago, after discovering the affair, Mr Curry’s wife, Anne, demanded that he no longer stayed at the Yorkshire property as a condition of their reconciliation. However, the former minister has continued claiming thousands of pounds a year for the house – which he could expect to sell for a substantial profit after leaving Parliament. Last night, after The Telegraph approached Mr Curry with the allegations, he announced that he was referring himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner. He said he would stand down from the standards committee during the investigation, which is expected to take several months. The committee has been criticised for taking a sympathetic position towards MPs accused of misconduct. It has been questioned for failing to adequately punish MPs including Jacqui Smith and Tony McNulty, who were attacked for expense claims running into tens of thousands of pounds. Mr Curry’s questionable claims followed the temporary break-up of his marriage in 2004. He had been using the cottage as the base for seeing his lover, Cherry Edwards. However, after a reconciliation with his wife the following year, Mr Curry was ordered by her to leave the cottage largely unused because of its association with the affair. Later that year – after moving back into the family home in Saffron Walden, Essex – he designated the Yorkshire property as his second home to the parliamentary authorities, since when he has claimed a total of £28,078. Since the relationship with Mrs Edwards ended, the MP is only thought to have stayed at the property on a “handful” of occasions. He lives full-time in Essex and commutes to Westminster and Yorkshire when necessary. He rarely stays in his constituency and when he does he has stayed at the £40-a-night Travelodge hotel in Skipton rather than at the taxpayer-funded cottage. He was pictured leaving the hotel after staying there earlier this month. Neighbours said last week that they had never seen Mr Curry at the cottage near Masham in North Yorkshire. “I have lived in the village for five years,” said one neighbour. “But I have never seen him. I have never even seen a car in the driveway.” The Telegraph has obtained copies of Mr Curry’s expense claims for the past few years which disclose he has spent thousands of pounds on renovations for the Yorkshire property. During the 2008-09 financial year he claimed thousands of pounds in connection with a defective damp course. He even hired a local “consultant” to oversee the work. In February 2008, he claimed £1,617 for roof repairs and damage caused by rising damp and three months later, he submitted a further bill for £1,540 for similar maintenance work. Two rooms were also redecorated. Mr Curry took out a mortgage on the cottage in 1987 and this was paid off in September 2007. Until then, he claimed around £250 a month for the mortgage interest. He also claimed for gardening bills of up to £300, made regular claims for food and spent £60 a month on cleaning. Sir Thomas Legg, the official scrutinising all expense claims made by MPs for second homes over the past five years, is thought to have queried Mr Curry’s claims for maintenance of the property. Last night, Mr Curry admitted that he had used the cottage less over the past four years. He declined to specify when he had stayed at the property and a statement he issued made no reference to spending nights there. He also failed to address questions over whether this was because his wife had discovered he was having an affair with Mrs Edwards. However, in the statement, the MP said: “The cottage has been my constituency home since 1987. In the [past four years] I have used it less intensively than before because I preferred, if possible, to get back to my family home. “In addition between November 30 2007 and June 27 2008 the cottage was uninhabitable because of works being carried out (under warranty) to replace a failed damp-proof course. My father was diagnosed with a terminal cancer in 2006 (he died in June 2008) and I tried to stay with him on the northern edge of Leeds whenever possible since he lived there alone. “I am currently dealing with the consequences of a major leak at the cottage – under insurance.” He added that he stayed at the Skipton Travelodge because he represented a large constituency and it was sometimes more convenient. Later, Mr Curry issued another statement announcing that he was stepping down from the standards committee. The second statement said: “I used the cottage to carry out my duties as a constituency MP and am content with my arrangements. “However, given the particular responsibilities of the chairman of the committee of standards and privileges, I shall refer my case to the Commissioner on Parliamentary Standards, John Lyon, and will stand down from the chairmanship during the course of his inquiries.” Mr Curry has also been appointed to sit on a secretive committee which will oversee the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. The authority will introduce a new expenses regime in the coming months. He is also expected to lose this position. Cherry Edwards declined to answer when asked by The Daily Telegraph whether she had an affair with Mr Curry and was aware that he was banned from staying at the cottage. She said: “Mr Curry is a very hard-working Member of Parliament. We were all very good friends together.” She then added: “I’m a patient and committed wife and mother, and grandmother as well.” When asked whether Mr Curry used the house, his next-door neighbour, Valerie Flather, who looks after the property, said: “That is his business.” Questioned as to whether the house represented good value to the taxpayer, she replied: “Damn the bloody taxpayer.” She then hung up. Mr Curry has already announced that he will be stepping down at the next election following a 23-year parliamentary career. He has been a member of the Committee for Standards and Privileges, a group of MPs which enforces the rules of conduct in the House of Commons, for the past three years.MPs' expenses: The Tory MP, his mistress and £30,000 for love nest
David Curry, the MP who heads the committee responsible for policing Commons expenses, has claimed almost £30,000 for a second home that his wife has banned him from staying in, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
Friday, 20 November 2009
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