Tony Blair's expenses shredded 'by mistake'

Tony Blair's expenses shredded 'by mistake'

Hundreds of expenses claims by Tony Blair have been shredded, reports the Daily Mail.

The claims and receipts, relating to Mr Blair's final year in office, were destroyed even though there was an ongoing legal bid to have them published.

Westminster officials say the documents were destroyed by mistake, as they did not realise they were the subject of a legal challenge.

The revelation came as the Commons authorities were instructed to publish details of all MPs' household expenses by the end of the week.

MPs' expenses average £136,000 - more than twice their annual salaries.

It is already known that Mr Blair claimed £43,029 over a three-year period.But it was not known what the money was spent on.

Court papers have now revealed that files covering claims of Myrobella, his Sedgefield constituency home, were destroyed by Commons officials after they rejected a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Expenses campaigner Norman Baker MP said: "How convenient that some of Tony Blair's expenses have been shredded.

"This is either incompetence or obstruction of the Freedom of Information Act and should be properly investigated."

Tony Blair's expenses shredded 'by mistake' - just as they were about to be made public (Daily Mail, 18 May 2008)