Taxi? No thanks says Sir Peter – but he will take a £32,000 pay-off
Shamed Gosport MP Sir Peter Viggers said he will claim a £32,000 pay-off when he stands down.
The Tory will accept the 'resettlement payment' given to all MPs who quit or lose their seat at a general election.
Sir Peter, who was ordered by Tory leader David Cameron to quit his seat after trying to claim 1,645 for a duck island, refused to speak to The News directly.
But instead he answered a series of questions via e-mail about the expenses scandal.
During the interview Sir Peter:
- Ignored pleas for him to step down now.
- Refused to comment on whether an ornate well cover featuring his initials in gold was paid for on expenses.
- Said he understood people's anger at his 30,000 gardening bills
- Described the duck house claim as a 'ridiculous error'.
As support grows for our Taxi for Viggers campaign, Gosport Labour leader Dennis Wright called on the 71-year-old Tory to quit now.
'I would have thought that with the money he has earned over the time he's been a member of Parliament and with his outside interests he doesn't need to wait until the next election to stand down,' he said.
'I think he's earned enough to retire now and the strong feeling from people seems to be that he shouldn't wait until the next election, but he should go now.'
However Sir Peter, who sold his mansion in Titchfield last year for 800,000 and now owns a French chateau, said he would stay until the next general election.
'I was elected for the full term and intend to serve it,' he said, adding that it would be too costly for a by-election.
The News understands Sir Peter is to sell his flat in Royal Clarence Yard, which is just next to Priddy's Hard.
But when asked if he planned on selling his property in Priddy's Hard and moving from the area he responded: 'I don't have a flat in Priddy's Hard'.
When asked if a drain cover in his old back garden, with gold PJV initials enscribed on it, was included in his expenses claim he replied: 'It is a well cover'.
Both questions were rephrased but Sir Peter refused to answer them, simply replying: 'I'll leave it at that for the time being'.
THE NEWS SAYS IT'S TIME TO GO
On Saturday The News launched our Taxi for Viggers campaign – to save the public from having to pay out more for the shamed Gosport MP.
As well as the 1,645 duck house, he also claimed 30,000 for gardening over a three-year period, including 28 tons of manure.
But our Taxi for Viggers campaign demands Sir Peter, who stands to receive a whopping 1.1m pension, resigns now.
If he stands down now he won't be eligible for the 32,000 resettlement payment, which is only payable to those MPs who lose their seat or quit at a general election.
The money is meant to help MPs 'adjust to life outside parliament'.
WHAT HE SAID – OR RATHER WHAT HE WROTE BY E-MAIL
Sir Peter Viggers wouldn't speak directly to The News about his expenses scandal and would only answer questions over e-mail. Here is the full transcript.
The News: Many constituents are angry and say you should stand down immediately rather than carry on until the next election. Will you do so?
Sir Peter: I was elected for the full term and intend to serve it.
The News: If not, then why not?
Sir Peter: Even if there were a cause for a bye-election (sic) it would be very expensive and time-consuming.
The News: Why did you try and claim 1,645 of taxpayers' cash for a duck house? What was your thinking behind trying to claim this on expenses, when it was clear that you didn't need it to carry out your duties as an MP?
Sir Peter: The Additional Costs Allowance was created as an allowance not as a form of expenses. In 2006-2007 I had spent much more than the permissible allowance and sent the paid bills to the Fees Office to prove this. By a ridiculous error I included the bill for the duck house, which was of course rightly rejected. It made no difference because the amount I had actually spent was still considerably above any amount I could be reimbursed.
The News: There have been a lot of duck pranks in Gosport since the expenses news broke.What is your opinion on these pranks and the people behind them?
Sir Peter: Everyone likes ducks and finds them rather funny
The News: Have you decided if and when you are going to auction off the duck house?
Sir Peter: We will be auctioning it and all the proceeds will go to charity.
The News: Do you feel your 30,000 gardening bills were reasonable, given that it is considerably more than many Gosport residents earn a year? What was your thinking when you put in the gardening claims? Again, did you need this to carry out your duties as an MP?
Sir Peter: The Additional costs Allowance permitted all costs necessarily related to the second home. The gardening costs were amounts I paid to local people for work they did in the garden. Having said that I can of course understand people's anger. I made a payment of 10,000 to show my respect for that.
The News: There are images of a drain in your old garden with the initials 'PJV' in gold. Was this claimed as part of your gardening expenses? If so, how much did it cost?
Sir Peter: It is a well cover. (When this question was put to him again with the word 'well' instead of drain he refused to answer)
The News: Why did you put your Titchfield house down as your second home when we are barely two hours from London?
Sir Peter: Because it was my second home where I spent Friday to Sunday.
The News: Do you think it is possible to carry on with your duties as normal with the expenses scandal still going on?
Sir Peter: Yes. I have spoken twice in the House in the last couple of weeks, the Treasury Select Committee is very demanding, and constituents continue to have issues with which I can help. I have meetings and visits in the constituency and held a constituency surgery last Friday.
The News: Will you be accepting the 32k resettlement payment given to MPs when they stand down at a general election?
Sir Peter: It is part of the terms of service.
The News: We understand you have started the process of selling your flat at Priddy's Hard. Is this true? If so, why have you decided to sell? Will you be buying any other property in Gosport? If not, where will you be living?
Sir Peter: I don't have a flat in Priddy's Hard.
The News: Would you like to say sorry to your constituents for what has happened?
Sir Peter: I gave a full apology on 23rd May which was printed in The News. I am happy to apologise again to all those who feel let down. Very many people have been kind, loyal and generous and I apologise unreservedly for causing them this embarrassment.
The News: Many residents and politicians say you are a millionaire, is this true? If so, how did you earn and save so much money?
Sir Peter: The News has started saying this. I have never heard a resident or politician say it.
The News: Is there anything else you wish to say to your constituents about your expenses and your current situation?
Sir Peter: Your editor has clearly formed the view that he can sell newspapers by waging a personal campaign against me. I hope he is wrong.
The News: Have you got any plans for when you are no longer an MP?
Sir Peter: The future is a long way down the road. Meanwhile we continue to face a major financial crisis and I am right in the centre as a member of the Treasury Select Committee where I feel I have a lot to offer.
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