Lancaster MP says expenses claim story was 'work of fiction'

Cat Smith spoke out after the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said they would not be following up a complaint against her.

The Daily Express printed an article in January after Ms Smith was reported to IPSA over claims that she should have declared her husband Ben Soffa as a member of her staff.

A complaint was also made about two claims for office flooring made by Ms Smith on the same date and an allegation that the Labour MP claimed expenses for travel to a constituency appointment on June 11 2016, when she was in Blackpool attending a Gay Pride event.

But a spokesman for IPSA said: “After receiving the complaint the Compliance Officer for IPSA determined that there was no case for investigation.”

Ms Smith said: “After an article, which is best described as a work of fiction, was published by the Daily Express the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have confirmed there was no truth in it.”