Oops! Davey refers himself for ‘oversight’

LIBERAL Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has referred himself to Parliament’s anti-sleaze watchdog in relation to an ‘oversight’.

He will be investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone over a possible breach of rules on the registration and declaration of an interest.

But a Lib Dem source insisted that Sir Ed had made only a ‘minor clerical error’.

Earlier this month Sir Ed announced he was resigning from his consultancy roles with the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills and energy company Next Energy Capital amid the row about MPs’ second jobs. He was paid £78,000 for the roles – though said the funds would be used to benefit his disabled son.

Sir Ed has previously claimed the Conservatives are ‘mired in corruption and sleaze’ over the botched bid to spare Owen Paterson from suspension over his breach of lobbying rules.

A Lib Dems spokesman said last night: ‘Ed referred himself to the commissioner last week after noticing an oversight. Ed has been asked by the Commissioner not to provide any further comment on her communication with him at this time.’