Essex CC leader Lord Hanningfield has claimed he is the victim of a politically motivated smear campaign after Scotland Yard launched an investigation into his expense claims. Lord Hanningfield, who helped create the Local Government Association, claimed local Lib Dem MP Bob Russell was determined to ‘blacken' his name with ‘personal attacks in the press and in Parliament'. Police are investigating accusations that Lord Hanningfield claimed for overnight stays in London when he actually returned to his home in Essex. Lib Dem Colchester MP Bob Russell, who raised Lord Hanningfield's claims in the House of Commons on 21 June, did not confirm that he had made the complaint to police. But he said: ‘I have drawn to the attention of various authorities matters which I think are of concern which need looking at. ‘My job is to unearth the facts as I understand them and present them to the appropriate bodies to look at.' Lord Hanningfield said he had nothing to fear from the investigation, but he was angry that ‘discussion and debate over policy has given way to personal attacks and innuendo'. He added: ‘The House of Lords authorities have no complaint in relation to my expenses and I am satisfied that I can account for them.'
