BURY MP David Chaytor has been criticised for an “unforgivable error” in his expenses claims.

The politician has been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party over allegations he claimed £13,000 of taxpayers’ cash for a mortgage he had already paid off.

Mr Chaytor, whose Bury North constituency covers Tottington, Ramsbottom and parts of Bury town centre, has apologised and agreed to repay the money.

On Saturday, a national newspaper said Mr Chaytor claimed £1,175 a month in expenses from September 2005 to August 2006 so he could pay mortgage interest payments. But the mortgage had been paid off in January 2004, it is claimed.

In a statement Mr Chaytor said: “In respect of mortgage interest payments, there has been an unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologise unreservedly.

“I will act immediately to ensure repayment is made to the fees office.”

Bury Mayor, Cllr Sheila Magnall, said: "These allegations make me feel very angry and very upset and no doubt the Bury people will feel the same.

“When we speak to people out in the constituency, they sometimes say we are only in it for our own financial gain. I would refute that, but accusations like this certainly do not help local politicians change that perception.”

Cllr Richard Baum, a Liberal Democrat who will fight Mr Chaytor for his Bury North seat at the next general election, said: “I think these allegations will do untold damage to not only the Bury North Parliamentary seat, but to politics in Bury in general.”