LIBERAL Democrat MP Bob Russell questions why he was the only one to suspect Lord Hanningfield's fraudulent expenses.

The Colchester MP, who originally reported Lord Hanningfield to police over his expenses, is now calling for an investigation into his county council expenses to be taken over by another police force.

He originally referred the peer to fraud police in London after questioning whether the Conservative politician was really staying in hotels in the capital.

He recalled that in a conversation with Lord Hanningfield the peer said his favourite activity was taking his beloved Bernese mountain dog Jefferson on early walks from his home in Helmons Lane, West Hanningfield.

But he questioned how he was able to do this if he was meant to be staying in a hotel in London.

"He has been at the top of local government in this county as long as many can remember," he said.

"He is probably the most experienced local politician in the country and yet he never allegedly checked his expenses.

"I never had any reason to doubt him until he came to Thomas Lord Audley School to talk about closures.

"During that public meeting I got the impression he was enjoying it.

"It came to me later that another peer had mentioned how often he had seen the Essex County Council chauffeured limousine parked at the House of Lords.

"I also discovered that five ECC employees had House of Lords passes which should be exclusively for the use of staff of the house.

"When I checked his expenses I was astounded he was claiming more than any MP was entitled. Scotland Yard, the Crown Prosecution Service gathered the evidence and tested it in court and most recently a jury of Essex people have convicted him on that evidence.

"So I still ask the question – if I picked up on this, why did no officer or councillor at county hall ever think to raise any concerns?

"I am pleased the new leader has called for an investigation after the recent trial but I think it is too close to home for Essex Police to carry out the investigation and it should be handed to another force.

"How he could have been allowed to get away with being a mixture of Walter Mitty and Billy Liar by so many astounds me still."