Nadine Dorries 'Won't Be Intimidated' By Probe

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has said she will not be intimidated after a parliamentary watchdog launched an investigation into her expenses claims.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) compliance officer Peter Davis earlier said he had reason to believe Ms Dorries may have been paid travel and accommodation costs she was not entitled to.

"An investigation will be conducted into claims submitted under the following areas of the third and fourth editions of the MPs' scheme of business costs and expense - accommodation expenditure, travel and subsistence," he said in a statement.

Ms Dorries tweeted: "Having the weekend away with my girls but breaking Twitter silence just to say this, Ipsa have picked on the wrong MP to try and smear."

The politician, who drew criticism for appearing in the reality TV show I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!, last year, added: "Ipsa have used me as a high profile MP bcse they haven't had an investigation since 2011 and need to justify their existence. NOT using me!"

She said Ipsa was accusing her of sub-letting her flat because an electricity bill for a three-month period last summer when her daughter was home from university was higher than her normal bills.

"Any MP who did that would need to be certified!! It is a serious allegation and one I will not be intimidated by," she tweeted.

As a lone parent she said she was entitled to have her daughter stay with her.

The Mid-Bedfordshire MP has denied ever claiming "a penny" that she was not entitled to, telling Sky News that she was "totally relaxed" about the investigation.

"Ipsa are desperate to get an investigation, I'm a high profile MP after going in the jungle which made them start crawling all over me, I'm considering whether it's harassment."

The second allegation relates to a travel ticket claim that was submitted twice in error by a member of staff who had accidentally "pressed the button twice", she said.

"Ipsa was asleep on the bloody job not filtering out claims like that," she added.

Ms Dorries remains suspended from the Tory whip following her appearance on I'm A Celebrity.

Just hours before news of the investigation broke, Ms Dorries, usually a prolific tweeter, had announced she was taking a break from the popular site in order to spend time with her daughters during the half term.