View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
May 20, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Eastern Daily Press exposes MEP’s expenses scam

By Press Gazette

The EDP’s splash about the MEP

An investigation by the Eastern Daily Press has led to the deselection of a Conservative MEP ahead of next month’s elections to the European Parliament.

The paper revealed that MEP Bashir Khanbhai had wrongly claimed as much as £15,000 in travel expenses.

In February a Daily Press reporter was asked to check out the address of Khanbhai to ensure he had solid roots in Norfolk. The paper found that the address in Norwich where the MEP claimed to live was just a mailing address and he actually lived in Kent.

The paper’s political editor, Chris Fisher, was tipped off that Khanbhai had been deselected by his party.

Although this turned out not to be true at that stage, Fisher revealed that Khanbhai had paid back £7,000 of the disputed expenses.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Khanbhai was deselected just 24 hours before the close of nominations for candidates in the 10 June elections.

EDP deputy editor James Ruddy said: “This was a bit of good, old-fashioned investigative journalism. Many hours have been spent on phones and walking the streets, liaising with colleagues in Brussels to discover the truth behind the story.

“It certainly helped having our political editor Chris Fisher in the House of Commons – his contacts and knowledge certainly helped to draw out the details.”

By Sarah Lagan

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network