Panel reconsider MacShane expenses

Police have met prosecutors to consider reopening the criminal investigation into Denis MacShane's expenses. A joint panel has been reconvened to look at whether a damning Commons report into the former minister contains usable new evidence.

Scotland Yard dropped the case against Mr MacShane in July after receiving advice from the CPS on an initial evidence file. But last week's report by the Standards and Privileges Committee, which concluded MacShane deliberately filed 19 misleading receipts - has sparked calls for a renewed probe.

Mr MacShane, who quit his Rotherham seat rather than face a 12-month suspension from the House, wrote a series of frank letters to the standards commissioner detailing his actions.

But the Commons authorities insist they are protected by parliamentary privilege and would not be admissible in court.