British MPs told to repay expenses

Nearly 400 British members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have been ordered to pay back close to $2 million in wrongfully claimed expenses.

Conservative Leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg were also among the 392 MPs — more than half of all members of the House — told to repay $1.89 million.

Sir Thomas Legg, a former civil servant who headed up the review, blamed the scandal on a "culture of deference" as well as a "prevailing lack of transparency" and "deeply flawed" procedures.

His audit, which covered the years 2004 to 2008, found legislators had claimed expenses for various personal items including house plants, porn movies, horse manure and an ornamental duck house.

The largest expense amount ordered to be paid back was more than $70,000, incurred by a Labour MP for security outside her home.

PM returns $23K

A spokesman for the prime minister told the Daily Telegraph that Brown had paid back nearly $23,000 in cleaning, decoration and gardening costs.

Brown saw nine ministers quit and suffered heavy losses in local and European elections following the scandal.

Six lawmakers are being investigated by police and could face prosecution. Two have been ousted over their claims, and about 150 others are not running in the next national election.

But some MPs have criticized the audit and appealed the findings. The review itself cost $1.95 million, slightly more than the money being recouped.

An independent body is drafting new rules to govern expense claims. Details already announced include a ban on legislators using taxpayers' money to employ family members as staff.