Rodger hits out at 'pathetic' Labour excuse-merchants

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Jun 2008

Amy Rodger, the Liberal Democrats' prospective Westminster candidate for East Lothian, has hit out at the 'pathetic' excuses trotted out by some Labour councillors over the high levels of their expenses claims.

Rodger, who has highlighted the massive disparity between the levels of some Labour representatives' claims compared to most other councillors, said:

"Trying to hide behind the suggestion that the Council somehow aren't reporting these claims properly just won't wash. Only the Labour councillors with claims twice as high as anyone else's are suggesting that. It's pathetic, trying to shift the blame onto officials, when the figures are there on the Council website, quite clearly, for all to see."

She added, "Labour have to learn that they can't carry on taking East Lothian for granted. I pointed out yet another way in which Labour are failing at East Lothian, and their only response is this pathetic clutching at straws. It's clear that their time is up."