“These are serious allegations and only add to the impression that Labour is becoming engulfed in expenses sleaze,” he said.
“The ongoing allegations of expenses irregularities left the Home Secretary’s credibility in tatters and present questions over her future as a senior minister.”
Other parties left it to their backbenchers to comment. Her former Tory opposite number, ex-shadow home secretary David Davis, expressed disbelief that she had submitted a claim for films.
“My first response was under what category would this expense claim be?” he said.
He warned her poor performance as Home Secretary left her vulnerable now that she was under pressure over other issues.
He said: “I don’t call for people to go unless I think there is absolutely a smoking gun, but I just do think in this circumstance, sympathy for her will be less than it otherwise would have been because she is not that good at her job.”
Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik said Ms Smith had been “compromised” by her husband’s activities.
“This is immensely embarrassing for Jacqui on a personal and domestic level. I haven’t got any particular issue about what they watch in their own time, I do have an issue about the fact that he has compromised her,” he said.
OPINION: PAGE 8
