John
04-22-2010, 07:57 AM
The Daily Telegraph revealed that three donors paid up to £250 a month into Mr Clegg's account before he became party leader.
Lib Dems said that the money went to pay for a member of staff in Mr Clegg's parliamentary office and denied that there was anything improper about the payments.
But a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, told the Telegraph the arrangement appeared "irregular".
Copies of Mr Clegg's personal bank statements submitted during 2006 to back up his expenses claims recorded "automated payments" from Ian Wright, a senior executive at drinks firm Diageo; Neil Sherlock, the head of public affairs at accountants KPMG; and Michael Young, a former gold-mining executive.
Mr Clegg declared the payments in the Register of MPs' Interests in March 2006.
Mr Clegg told the paper: "All payments were declared as a standing item on the register of members' interests and used appropriately to fund to an additional member of staff in my Parliamentary office.
"When I became leader of the Liberal Democrats, the arrangements were changed so that the money was paid through the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats."
Lib Dems said that the money went to pay for a member of staff in Mr Clegg's parliamentary office and denied that there was anything improper about the payments.
But a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, told the Telegraph the arrangement appeared "irregular".
Copies of Mr Clegg's personal bank statements submitted during 2006 to back up his expenses claims recorded "automated payments" from Ian Wright, a senior executive at drinks firm Diageo; Neil Sherlock, the head of public affairs at accountants KPMG; and Michael Young, a former gold-mining executive.
Mr Clegg declared the payments in the Register of MPs' Interests in March 2006.
Mr Clegg told the paper: "All payments were declared as a standing item on the register of members' interests and used appropriately to fund to an additional member of staff in my Parliamentary office.
"When I became leader of the Liberal Democrats, the arrangements were changed so that the money was paid through the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats."