Barnsley Central MP faces jail for expenses fraud

Barnsley Central MP, Eric Illsley, is facing jail after admitting fiddling his expenses.

Mr Illsley has become the first sitting MP to be convicted of expenses fraud. The member for Barnsley Central dishonestly claimed more than £14,000 on his second home in London. He pleaded guilty to three charges of false accounting and will be sentenced next month. Labour leader Ed Miliband said Illsley should "do the right thing" and resign as an MP. "I don't think he can be a credible voice for his constituents having pleaded guilty to such a serious offence," he added. Illsely was suspended from the Labour Party following the allegations and sits as an Independent after being re-elected in May's general election. He will automatically lose his seat if he is sentenced to more than 12 months in prison.