Jeremy Corbyn apologises 'unreservedly' for failing to declare CND-funded trip to New York

Jeremy Corbyn has apologised "unreservedly" for failing to register a trip to New York paid for by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.



The Labour leader was investigated by Commons sleaze watchdogs after being accused of not declaring the jaunt, which took place in 2014.

Under Parliamentary rules, any trips by MPs costing more than £660 must be declared in their Register of Interests.

But The Sun reports that the total cost of the trip, including accommodation, was £859. Mr Corbyn failed to register the trip at the time and only informed the parliamentary authorities in December.

In a report published yesterday, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said: “The member acknowledged his breach of the rules and apologised unreservedly for it.”

The watchdog had also investigated claims the Labour leader had broken the rules by failing to declare a trip to Tunisia, also in 2014, when he was present at a wreath-laying ceremony for some of those accused of the 1972 Munich terror attack on the Israeli Olympic team.

However, he was cleared because the cost of the trip was £656 - £4 under the allowed limit.

In a letter to the commissioner, Mr Corbyn said: "There is one visit that should have been registered, but my office and I omitted to register, for which I take full responsibility - my April 2014 trip to the UN in New York to attend the Non proliferation of Nuclear weapons preparatory committee, funded by the campaign for nuclear disarmament.

“The failure to register this visit was a complete oversight for which I apologise unreservedly.

“I can only imagine that we overlooked registration in this instance due to an incorrect assumption that the trip would be below threshold.

“Most of my overseas trips and visits have been inexpensive and under the threshold for declaration."

Tory MP Mark Francois told The Sun: "What this report shows is that Jeremy Corbyn, a man who aspires to run the country, can barely run his own office."