Barnsley Central MP quits over expenses fiddle

9 February 2011, 09:37 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Barnsley Central MP Eric Illsley has quit as he waits to be sentenced for fiddling his expenses.

Illsley is due to be sentenced tomorrow after admitting dishonestly claiming £14,000 of expenses in court on 11th January.

He could theoretically have stayed on as a MP with a jail term of less than 12 months but following heavy pressure Illsley expressed ``deep regret'' over his actions and said he would quit before the court decided his fate.

Labour is planning to trigger a by-election in his Barnsley Central seat on March 3.

Despite the questions over his expenses, Illsley was re-elected to the seat in May with a majority of more than 11,000.