Tories act to stamp out expenses abuse

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - The Conservatives said on Tuesday their politicians would pay back thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to try to quell a row over parliamentary expenses that has outraged voters.

The Labour Party and Conservatives alike have been damaged by embarrassing revelations about how their politicians have filed expense claims for large sums spent on gardening, home furnishings, repairs and security.

Conservative leader David Cameron, whose party has a commanding lead in opinion polls, putting him on course for a landslide election win, said he was sorry for the actions of some Conservative MPs and was taking immediate action to halt abuse of the system.

"Politicians have done things that are unethical and wrong," he told a news conference.

Saying Conservative MPs must set an example of personal responsibility and thrift with public money, he said: "From now on I want them to claim what is reasonable to do their jobs, not the maximum they can get away with."

Revelations by The Daily Telegraph newspaper that senior Conservatives claimed for cleaning their swimming pools, installing a chandelier or buying manure for their gardens have given a glimpse of the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by some.

That grates with voters suffering the worst recession since World War Two and undermines Cameron's attempts to tone down the party's elitist image.

Cameron wants to win over working- and middle-class voters as he seeks to end 12 years of Labour rule. The Conservatives have a double-digit lead in the polls with a general election 13 months away at most.