The first major review of some of the issues raised by the scandal came with the publication of a report by a panel chaired by former senior civil servant Sir Thomas Legg on 12 October 2009. Legg’s remit had, in effect, been to conduct an audit of the expenses claimed by MPs in respect of their second homes. His decision to set levels of expenses that he considered reasonable and apply them retrospectively brought particular criticism from those MPs who had sought guidance and had been given the ‘all clear’ when they had submitted their original claims. There was even the suggestion that some of those ordered to pay back money might test the legality of this in the courts.
Despite opposition from the back benches, however, Legg’s recommendations received broad public support both from the prime minister, Gordon Brown, and the leader of the opposition, David Cameron, the latter going so far as to confirm that Conservative MPs who refused to repay the amounts owed would be barred from standing as Conservative candidates at the next general election.
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