THE Daily Telegraph says Scotland Yard is investigating the leader of Essex County Council who claimed tens of thousands of pounds in overnight allowances despite living just 46 miles from Westminster.

Records show Lord Hanningfield claimed £17,120 in the year ending March 2008 for the cost of staying overnight in London in order to attend the Lords.

The Telegraph said that his claims totalled £100,000 over seven years.

The Telegraph reported that detectives from the Metropolitan Police specialist crimes unit want to establish whether Lord Hanningfield actually stayed in London on the evenings for which he claimed, rather than returning to his home near Chelmsford.

Rules state that peers whose main home is outside the capital can claim an allowance of £174 a night if their stay is "for the purpose of attending sittings of the House". Receipts are not required.

Lord Hanningfield told the Telegraph he could justify all his expenses and blamed questions over his claims on a "vindictive campaign against me".

He said: "I work extremely hard on the front bench and am satisfied that I can account for my expenses."