The Tories have just announced that they are sending an investigation team to find out what the hell is going on with Tory MEPs. Hugh Thomas is the Tory’s new Head of Compliance (a qualified barrister and an ordained minister in the Church of England) who previously held high powered compliance jobs in the City. Nobody in Brussels expects the Spanish Inquisition, but he is the nearest thing to it…

Dave says “Hugh Thomas has been tasked by me to do all that we can to reinforce the clear message I have sent on the issue of expenses. I have said very clearly that MEPs – like MPs – must meet the highest possible standards with accountability and transparency. MEPs do of course report to their own separate authorities in the European Parliament. But anyone who flies under the Conservative banner carries a wider responsibility to the reputation of the party.”

Hugh would do well to take a close look at Den Dover, who is clinging to some flimsy excuse that his wife and daughter are qualified to do their secretarial jobs. Guido wants to know for example where the public funds that went into his wife’s company, based in their home, that went on “property repairs” were spent. Why should public monies be spent on a secretarial service’s property repairs? If they went fixing the leak in the roof over his head he has to go.

Incidentally, Guido has emailed 10 questions to the third Tory MEP under suspicion at his parliamentary email address and his private office email address, faxed him at his constituency office, as well as in Brussels and Strasbourg. No reply as yet. If no reply is forthcoming by 5pm, Guido will be putting the information in the public domain for you to judge…