Tory chief faces new nanny row

Conservative Party chairman Caroline Spelman's woes appeared to deepen today with claims that her own secretary first raised concerns about her parliamentary expenses.

BBC2's Newsnight alleged that Sally Hammond - who became a part-time secretary to Mrs Spelman in 1999 - was "shocked" to discover just how much she was paying nanny Tina Haynes.

Mrs Spelman became an MP in 1997 and employed Ms Haynes to look after her children and to do secretarial work.

However, according to Newsnight last night, Mrs Hammond - wife of Tory frontbencher Stephen Hammond - questioned how much work Ms Haynes did to justify the pay. Mrs Hammond was said to be bewildered as to why Mrs Spelman had so little money available for office expenses.

She took her concerns to shadow Cabinet member Peter Ainsworth - for whom she had worked in the past - who in turn took it up with Chief Whip James Arbuthnot. The arrangement was stopped, it is claimed.

The revelations, if true, increase pressure on Ms Spelman who is being investigated by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner John Lyon.

A spokesman at Conservative HQ said last night: "Caroline Spelman asked for the inquiry herself and will happily provide all relevant information to the parliamentary commissioner."

A number of Tory MPs are said to be privately calling for the party chairman to be sacked.

The allegations against Ms Spelman come after sleaze claims against Tory MEPs and Tory MPs Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton who broke Commons rules on taxpayerfunded second homes.