MEPs who ride the Brussels gravy train

Huge expense accounts, vague responsibilities – work in the European parliament asks questions of politicians’ integrity. Here are some who’ve succumbed to the perks of a faulty system

GILES CHICHESTER
Giles Chichester, who only three months ago was appointed by David Cameron to stamp down on any such misdemeanours, has been forced to stand down as the leader of the Tories in Brussels after it emerged he had transferred almost half a million pounds in expenses from his MEP's allowances to his family map-making company. He has not, as yet, resigned from his seat representing the south-west and Gibraltar.

This is not the first time that Chichester has used the system to his advantage. Inspired no doubt by his famous mariner father Sir Francis Chichester, the first man to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe, he has a weakness for international exploration. The leader of a delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand, his most recent jolly Down Under featured tickets to La Traviata at the Sydney Opera House, a catamaran cruise around the harbour, tasty meals, limestone caves, forests, vineyards and a trip to Ayers Rock. The nine-day trip included just 18 hours of official work.

DEN DOVER
Den Dover had to stand down as Chief Whip of the Tories in Europe after he was found to have spent £760,000 on staff and office expenses since 1999, including over £75,000 on postage and stationary. His family-owned company, M P Holdings Ltd, charges over £160,000 a year for secretarial and parliamentary assistant work, and employs Dover's wife and daughter Amanda, who earned over £20,000 from her father despite working a four-day week at a travel agent.

DAVID SUMBERG
To the disgust of his colleagues, David Sumberg, a Tory MEP who plans to step down next year, was found to be paying his wife