Anthony Steen MP tries to defend himself in expenses row.

Why are people so angry about the MPs' expenses scandal? "Jealousy," according to the veteran MP Sir Anthony Steen who yesterday expressed his dismay at the ­outcry over his claim for the treatment of 500 trees in the grounds of his house.

Steen, MP for Totnes since 1974, was forced by David Cameron to issue a strongly worded apology after he blamed constituents for forcing his retirement from Westminster. Steen "unreservedly apologised" after declaring that the public had no right to "interfere" with his private life.

Cameron moved against Steen, who was told he would be stripped of the Tory whip unless he "shut up", after he appeared on Radio 4's The World at One to lash out at constituents who objected to his claim for the treatment of 500 trees in the grounds of his house.

"I've done nothing criminal, that's the most awful thing, and do you know what it's about? Jealousy," Steen said. "I've got a very, very large house. Some people say it looks like Balmoral. It's a merchant's house of the 19th century. It's not particularly attractive, it just does me nicely."

Steen spoke out after announcing yesterday that he would stand down as an MP at the next election. He denied his hand been forced by Cameron.

"I had no pressure at all from the party leader quite the contrary. I think he was a bit surprised, he didn't understand that I was going to do it. The pressure came from the constituents. For the last week I've been taking soundings and they are absolutely beside themselves with anger."

He acknowledged he had made mistakes in his expenses. But he added: "We have a wretched govern­ment here which has completely mucked up the system and caused the resignation of me and many others, because it was this government that introduced the Freedom of Information Act and it is this government that insisted on the things which caught me on the wrong foot, which if I'd been cleverer it wouldn't have done. What right does the public have to interfere with my private life? None."

Steen later issued an apology after he was upbraided by the leadership for distorting his discussions with ­Cameron over his retirement. Cameron also forced the former Tory minister Sir Peter Viggers to announce his retirement after he claimed £1,645 for a floating duck island.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/21/mps-expenses-anthony-steen

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[Fuzz944]

Jealous?? That's my fucking money you've spent on your garden to make it "look nice" that's not sodding essential maintenance you prick.

Get out, GTFO and don't come back. Your mum should have called you PAT..

Posh Arrogant Twat!

[Hostile]

Utter idiot, so far disconnected from reality he has no idea what he's doing.

[Misclaneous]

"We have a wretched government here which has completely mucked up the system... because it was this government which introduced freedom of information"

wow, i only thought politicians like these existed in Russia...

[PsychosisFire]

'The public has no right to interfere with my private life'. Well considering its our money you've used to buy your 'ancient merchant's house', its completely within our right, you fucking cunt. Fuck you, go die you fucking waste of sperm and eggs

[FSAGCFSAPPCCTL]

What a prick or should that be pwick? But they were foolishly voted in top power folks.

[sarahhartland]

Ultimate benefit scroungers!

[tempelton]

Farkwar and Finlay will be over for some tabogganing this weekend, old chap! HAW HAW HAW!

(Bloody poor people...)

[kahuna3901]

Biggus diggus

[MrStevenwilliam]

What a fucking wanker i think he wants to sort his Rs out the thick cunt :@

[novalinnhe]

The address of this YouTube video starts with:

RE U OK?? xD

[SuperTruth77]

I worked as a Tory MP’s assistant for about a year in the early 1990s after I left university. He often claimed for prostitutes on expenses, and even once claimed £7,800 for a ‘buttock lift & skin darkening’ operation for one of them. He explained to me one night (when he was a bit drunk) something about having a fantasy for ‘a black woman who used to be white’.

He was also into coprophagia, which is where I drew the line and left…

[Nighthawkx15]

we voted for this cunt?