Is it not time to put a stop to this widespread abuse and nepotism by politicians of all parties? It is public money they are lavishing on their loved ones. Where else in the public sector can jobs be handed out to relations, without advertising the vacancy, holding proper interviews, and appointing candidates on merit? Our politicians think they are a law unto themselves and persist in the nonsense of referring to each other as "honourable" when they have proved time and again, in many different ways, that they are anything but.

Charles Dawson, Shropshire, England

prison is to good, he was no better when in shropshire.He should be sacked without a pension

alan whitaker, shrewsbury, shropshire

He should be in jail and the rest of his family for theft,fraud, and recieving monies they are not entitled to.

Advertising about benifit cheats on television, these people are worse,( MPs) some of them.They think they are above the law, they snigger at the tax paying public whilst taking everything they can from the public purse.His two sons having seen what I have seen in the press and on television of them they could not do a days work between them., Every MP should have all expenses open to public view and so should county and town councillors.

Alan, runcorn, cheshire

I do wish that some of my poverty-struck patients in south derbyshire could have a gift of £11,000 to lift themselves out of the misery of no job, no education, no services, no prospects, no chances, no choices, no quality of life. The arrogance of this behaviour is utterly astounding.
Emma. General practitioner. Derbyshire

emma, Nottingham,

At least they all had a jolly nice Christmas
http://ollysonions.blogspot.com/2008/01/god-bless-us-every-one.html

Olly Onions, London, UK

Maybe the payments were meant to be for not being obese (earlier this week) and also for not travelling back from Newcastle to do any work, thus saving 22,000 tons of CO2 (today - Europe).

That would present the situation as a good thing rather than a lapse of accounting.

Maybe more MPs could follow such an exemplary lead.

Chris, Reading,

Any of these researchers jobs going begging now? The pay is excellent, and the hours are not bad, work seems easy,with not much pressure involved,seems like just the ticket for pensioners like myself.I reckon that 6 to 7 hours a week researching would be equal to one weeks pension, so in such a short time I could double my money.I may even get a taste of the champagne lifestyle on 19 hours.

Elvia Sylvester, Barnsley, Yorkshire

If this had been the canteen/bar staff who had done this, they would have been nicked for theft or embezzlement. Why should Conway Senior be any different. As for his son Freddie, he should DEFINTELY be done for theft. How can he be a full-time student at Newcastle Iniversity and be his fathers research assistant at Westminster at the SAME TIME?It's the same old story - one rule for the haves and another for the have nots. Derek Conway should be made to reimburse the tax-payers for the FULL AMOUNT not a measley £13K.

N Durham, Cambuslang, S Lanarkshire

Loving the use of "close friend". Hilarious!

BenG, London, UK

It would seem that in this club £250 of public money can be handed over, unreceipted, each time an Honourable member feels a bit short. Surely the rules have to be changed, for all their sakes, or in a very short time we'll have no MP's in the House of Commons. They'll all be spending more time with their families.

Martin Naylor, Nottingham,

Quite right JK.

He shoudl surely be made to return ALL of the money, WITH INTEREST at the same rate it is charged for late tax.

If he stays on he will continue to collect a slary and add to the highly favourable pension that MP's get.

It is not a Tory thing but and MP thing. Notice how quiet Labour have been!

Michael Corby, London, England

No evidence has been produced to show or measuer the value and contribution that the public has received in order to justify the salaries drawn from the public purse from either of Mr Conways sons. Considering the large sums paid out to his sons over a period of years, it is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS to be flaunting a minor figure of £13k plus change. Why has there been no investigation instructed into the participants of this apprarent fraud?

JR, London, UK

Is this a "close friend" of his son, the self-described "Queen Sloane"?

Neil, Cambridge,

Resign at the next election? I can't believe we put up with this! Resign now, if you're proved not to be a thief, then stand at the next election. He should be sacked immediately & a bye-election held.

Ken Whysall, Hemel Hempstead,

After basically embezzling all this money, why is he only being asked to pay back £13,161?? He should pay it ALL back, without question!

JK, London,

I very much doubt that he would have got away with so much for so long, had he been anything other than an MP. It's only politicians who are arrogant enough to assume that they are beyond the law. He should not only repay all the money he has misappropriated i.e. stolen, but should be treated like any other thief, and receive a prison sentence.

Lezl, London, UK

Typical Tories, haven't changed since Major, anything Labour can deliver up on the sleaze and corruption front the Tories can always go a few better.

Fraser, London, UK