By
Simon Walters
Last updated at 2:48 AM on 10th May 2009
The row over MPs' expenses intensified last night as it was revealed that the parliamentary finance chief who signs off their claims had no formal accountancy skills - and that he feared he would be sacked when he warned the Commons Speaker the system was being abused.
Andrew Walker, who runs the Commons Fees Office responsible for MPs' wages and expenses, told Speaker Michael Martin more than five years ago that he must act to curb excessive claims.
But Westminster sources say the Speaker told him not to meddle, and 'punished' him by refusing to speak to him for weeks at a time.
Andrew Walker (left) warned Speaker Michael Martin more than five years ago that he must act to curb excessive claims
It is understood that Mr Walker felt he could be dismissed from his £125,000-a-year job as director general of resources at the Commons after issuing the warning.
Now friends say he has been made a 'scapegoat' by MPs who have justified scandalous expense claims on the grounds that Mr Walker approved them.
The disclosures came as:
- Labour's support plummeted to 23 per cent - its lowest since polling began.
- Cabinet Minister Hazel Blears was accused of avoiding £18,000 of capital gains tax, having persuaded the taxman a flat she sold was her main home, while claiming parliamentary expenses on it as her second home.
- The Mail on Sunday established that Andrew Walker's boss Dr Malcolm Jack has homes in London, Portugal and South Africa as well as a grace-and-favour mansion in Westminster.
The properties owned by Dr Jack, who earns £150,000 a year as Commons clerk and chief executive, are worth more than £1.8million. His £2.8million grace-and-favour mansion in Parliament Street recently underwent a taxpayer-funded £100,000 refurbishment, including a £39,000 kitchen.
The upgrade sparked fury from some MPs.
More...
Dr Jack, who is in overall charge of parliamentary accounting, has called in police to investigate the leak of MPs' expenses, prompting claims that it was intended as a distraction.
The 62-year-old, who lives with partner Robert Borsje, is close to Mr Martin and remained loyal during the controversy over the Speaker's own expenses claims. He and Mr Walker were given more power over expenses following a reorganisation of Commons officials ordered by Mr Martin.
Astonishingly, Mr Walker was put in charge of MPs' expenses even though he was not qualified to hold the post. He was sent to college to take a £15,000 course in business studies, at taxpayers' expense, while in his job.
Lifelong civil servant Mr Walker became finance and administration director at the Commons in 1997 after a low-profile role as assistant director of human resources at the Inland Revenue.
But his degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Birmingham University was of little use when faced with the complex financial matters of the Commons Fees Office.
One source said: 'Andrew did his best to keep control of things but it was an impossible job, and he was not really equipped to do it. He knew there were things going on that shouldn't be and drew them to the Speaker's attention.
'The Speaker didn't want to know. His own expenses were coming under scrutiny and the last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to the issue. Andrew was told to keep his nose out and to turn a Nelsonian blind eye.
'The Speaker would go for ages without speaking to him, his way of "punishing" Andrew. It was a disgrace. Now MPs are blaming him for the trouble they are in by saying he approved their expenses. He has every right to be angry.'
Another source said: 'A while back it looked as if Andrew might lose his job and you can't blame him for thinking that he might as well keep his head down. Why should he sacrifice his career for the sake of others?'
Mr Walker's return to favour with the Speaker coincided with Mr Martin's surprise choice of Dr Jack - who is also a successful writer who spends much of the parliamentary breaks at his homes in Portugal and South Africa - as Commons clerk and chief executive.
The Speaker ordered a shake-up after Serjeant-At-Arms Peter Grant Peterkin was effectively sacked in 2007 for querying Mr Martin's expenses.
In the reorganisation, Dr Jack and Mr Walker - who was promoted to his current job - were given more power over staff as well as MPs' pay and expenses. Critics said the Speaker had surrounded himself with cronies.
Instead of selecting someone with a financial background, the Speaker gave Mr Walker the go-ahead to study for a Master of Business Administration degree at Warwick University, approving the £5,000-a-year fees and granting him time off from the Commons for his studies.
Mr Walker, who is 55 and married with three children, lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. He was unavailable for comment, while the Speaker's office declined to comment.