Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith’s complaint to the Press Complaints Commission over a claim in the Daily Mail that she was “haggling” over expenses has been resolved after the paper published an apology.
The PCC said today that Smith complained that the newspaper inaccurately claimed that she was ‘haggling’over £500 of expenses that Sir Thomas Legg, the man charged with auditing MPs’ claims, had requested that she repaid.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology and a clarification in print and online last month
It said: “Following a story on Channel 4 News alleging Jacqui Smith was challenging Sir Thomas Legg’s request for repayment of £1,500 expenses, we ran a story saying she was haggling over £500.
“We accept that this was incorrect and that she has repaid all the sums asked except £39.99 for a barbeque she had never claimed for.
“We are sorry we got this wrong and are happy to clarify the facts.”
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