MP resigns over expenses

A damning report by the standards and privileges committee said he knowingly submitted 19 false invoices over a four-year period that were "plainly intended to deceive" Parliament's expenses authority.

The committee, which adjudicates on sleaze allegations against MPs, said it was the "gravest case" it had dealt with and involved "in the order of £7,500."

Mr MacShane, who had repaid money wrongly claimed, was the minister for Europe from April 2002 until May 2005.

He said on his website: "I am shocked and saddened that the BNP has won its three-year campaign to destroy my political career as a Labour MP despite a full police investigation which decided not to proceed after investigations and interviews.

"Clearly I deeply regret that the way I chose to be reimbursed for costs related to my work in Europe and in combating anti-semitism, including being the prime minister's personal envoy, has been judged so harshly.

"I am obviously desperately sorry for any embarrassment I have caused."

Allegations from the British National Party that he abused his expenses were taken up for investigation by Scotland Yard in September 2010 but no action was taken.