Former Midland MP Derek Conway today faced the prospect of a second parliamentary inquiry into his use of taxpayers’ cash to pay salaries to his sons while they were at university.

Mr Conway apologised to the Commons yesterday after watchdog MPs found that he had overpaid by thousands of pounds his youngest son, Freddie, who had been employed by him as a part-time researcher.

And today Labour MP John Mann said he would be reporting the former Shrewsbury & Atcham MP to the parliamentary commissioner for standards over £32,000 in payments from his staff allowance to his elder son, Henry.

Mr Conway’s friends accused MPs and the media of conducting a witchhunt, but the latest developments led to demands for David Cameron to discipline the Old Bexley and Sidcup MP.

Read the full story in the Express & Star.

Former Midland MP Derek Conway today faced the prospect of a second parliamentary inquiry into his use of taxpayers’ cash to pay salaries to his sons while they were at university.

Mr Conway apologised to the Commons yesterday after watchdog MPs found that he had overpaid by thousands of pounds his youngest son, Freddie, who had been employed by him as a part-time researcher.

And today Labour MP John Mann said he would be reporting the former Shrewsbury & Atcham MP to the parliamentary commissioner for standards over £32,000 in payments from his staff allowance to his elder son, Henry.

Mr Conway’s friends accused MPs and the media of conducting a witchhunt, but the latest developments led to demands for David Cameron to discipline the Old Bexley and Sidcup MP.

Mr Mann said: “The facts will need to be ascertained by proper investigation. But if he has been doing the same thing with the first son then there is a significant sum of money that needs to be paid back to the taxpayer.

“It also puts the pressure on David Cameron to say today what he is going to do about Mr Conway. Should he be a candidate at the next election?”

Tory MP Roger Gale defended his fellow Kent MP and stressed that MPs were perfectly entitled to employ family members under parliamentary rules.

He said he had been assured by Mr Conway that his son, Freddie, had done the work he had been paid for, and he believed him as “an honourable man”.

“My understanding is still that, even in this day and age, in court a person is still considered innocent until proven guilty,” said Mr Gale.

Mr Conway already faces a 10-day suspension from the Commons, having his pay docked and having to pay back up to £14,000 of his staffing allowance given in salary and bonuses to Freddie, who is now 22.

A second probe into payments made to Henry, 25, would further damage his reputation.

Despite Peter Hain’s resignation over undeclared payments to his campaign for Labour’s deputy leadership, and the personal data scandals which hit the Government, the Tory popularity lead has narrowed.

A ComRes survey for The Independent gives the Conservatives an eight-point lead, down from 11 per cent last month.

It puts the Tories on 38 per cent, Labour unchanged on 30, and the Liberal Democrats under new leader Nick Clegg up one on 17 per cent.

By John Hipwood