Devine gains the backing of party faithful in fight for job

LOTHIAN MP Jim Devine has been given the backing of his local constituency party as he battles to hold on to his job.

Around 50 members of Mr Devine's constituency party gave him their "unwavering support" at a meeting when he was grilled on his expenses claims.

The MP has denied any wrongdoing over his expenses and has even asked police to investigate his Commons expenses in a bid to clear his name.

Mr Devine faces his toughest week in politics as Labour's "star chamber" – the National Executive Committee (NEC) – is to scrutinise his expenses next week and will determine whether he is fit to stand as a Labour MP for the Livingston seat at the next election.

At the centre of the MP's questionable claims is the rewiring of his one-bedroom London flat, for which he claimed £1,257 paid in cash to a bogus company.

Explanations for Mr Devine's claim of £2,326 for joinery work, which reportedly included 66 metres of shelving, have also been contradictory. Last week the MP told the Evening News the "industrial" shelving was installed in his London flat by his local pub landlord and longtime friend, Tony Moran, who travelled to London to do the work.

The money for the shelving and other joinery work was claimed from Mr Devine's Incidental Expenses Provision (IEP) for office costs, and not from his Additional Costs Allowance for second homes, which he said was cleared by the Commons' fees office.

But Mr Moran has reportedly since said that he did not fit any shelves at the MP's flat and, according to sources at the constituency meeting, Mr Devine also told them that the shelves were not in his flat, but in the basement of a pub in Blackburn – thought to be Moran's Turf Bar.

He also allegedly told the meeting he was being evasive about the shelving because he was using them for local Labour Party campaign leaflets and boards, which he said was against House of Commons rules.

Mr Moran has since been unavailable for comment despite several attempts to contact him.

The MP also reportedly said he was willing to pay the money back for the shelves at the meeting and wants to carry out next week's NEC meeting at his London home to prove the electrical work was actually carried out.

"He has become an embarrassment," said a senior Labour source. "It's like dealing with a seven-year-old who makes up excuse after excuse.

"He put some evidence forward regarding the allegations through a letter from Mr Moran saying he did do work for him. He asked for support from the constituency and he got it, but let's see what the NEC does. They will want concrete proof of his claims. If he doesn't provide it he'll be out."

Mr Devine refused to comment on what he said at the constituency party meeting, but said that all the allegations were "outrageous". He added:

"No-one stood up and objected to what was being agreed and everyone had a say. I am innocent of all these allegations."