One Labour politician may be investigated for fraud and embezzlement

The Sunday Herald report that:

"LABOUR ACTIVISTS are to take the unprecedented step of calling on police to investigate one of their party's MPs for alleged fraud. Jim Devine, the member for Livingston, will today face his local constituency party over his expenses claims.

The Sunday Herald has a copy of a "round robin" letter, signed by six Labour members in Livingston, which activists say will be handed to Lothian and Borders Police this evening.

It states: "We wish to formally lodge a complaint of fraud and embezzlement against Jim Devine MP."

...

Devine billed the public £2157 for "rewiring" his second home in London, but the invoice for the work contained a bogus VAT number, false postcode and inaccurate address. The name of the so-called firm, Eastern Electrical Ltd, is not registered at Companies House.

The MP also directed £2326 for "joinery" to his friend and local publican Tony Moran out of his office expenses budget. According to the invoice, Moran supplied and fitted 66 metres of "heavy duty" shelving in 2006. However, when the Sunday Herald visited Devine's constituency office, no shelves could be seen.

The revelations prompted Labour chief whip Nick Brown to refer Devine to the National Executive Committee's (NEC) special endorsements panel, dubbed the "star chamber", which will this week decide whether he remains a candidate at the next general election."

Hmmm...