Ministers who blocked expenses reform claimed £100k

Five Cabinet ministers who voted against a clampdown on MPs' expenses claimed almost £100,000 between them last year.

Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward, whose wife has an estimated £100million fortune, and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed the maximum £22,110. Housing minister Caroline Flint was just £2 behind with second home expenses of £22,108.

Wales Secretary Paul Murphy racked up £18,421 while Sports Secretary Andy Burnham claimed £13,461.

They were among more than 30 members of the Government who voted with backbench MPs to throw out a tough new allowances regime on Thursday.

The shake-up would have introduced strict checks and scrapped the "John Lewis" list of luxury household items MPs can pick from to kit out second homes.

The measures, aimed at cleaning up Westminster after a string of scandals, were rejected by a majority of 28.

But dozens ofMPs will still get an extra £4,584-a-year after shamelessly "cherrypicking" from the reforms. There are 35MP representing London seats who do not get the additional costs allowance to pay for second homes. Instead, they get a grant of £3,000 to cover the high costs of living in the capital. This will now be more than doubled to £7,500.

But last night the MPs hit back. Ministers who voted against the measures argued they were too costly and bureaucratic. Andy Burnham admitted: "It is not easy to make these arguments in the current climate." But he insisted that a daily allowance that would have replaced second home allowances would have been less, not more transparent.

Jacqui Smith insisted: "I want a system that is not overly bureaucratic and expensive for the taxpayer and which allows my constituency staff to concentrate on serving my constituents not act as accountants."

Shaun Woodward also said he hoped better reforms can be drafted quickly

Caroline Flint claimed the reforms would not have restored public trust and wants new proposals. She said: "I believe MPs who abuse the system should be made to repay every penny and in the past have been treated too leniently."

Whitehall's sleaze watchdog is to launch a probe into MPs' expenses.

A source close to the Committee on Standards in Public Life said throwing out tougher checks and John Lewis list had been "a train wreck" for the Commons.

JACQUI SMITH

'Constituency staff exist to serve the voter.. not to act as accountants

TOOK £22,110

SHAUN WOODWARD

'I hope a better reform bill can be drafted quickly

TOOK £22,110

CAROLINE FLINT

'MPs who abuse the system have been treated too leniently in the past

TOOK £22,108

ANDY BURNHAM

'It's not easy to make these arguments in the current climate

TOOK £13,461

PAUL MURPHY

'Failed to return our call

TOOK £18,421