“I have a very, very large house – people are jealous and have no right to interfere” says MP who claimed £90K for its forest

From @LabourList

More revelations in today’s Telegraph include the Tory grandee who claimed £87,729 on expenses for services on a stately second home, including the care of 500 trees.

Anthony Steen, the Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon showed a wilful distain for the anger of ordinary people in this country in defending his claims.

In an interview yesterday for the BBC’s World at One, Steen said:

“I think I have behaved impeccably. I’ve done nothing criminal. Do you know what this is about? Jealousy. I’ve got a very, very large house. Some people say it looks like Balmoral, but it’s a 19th century merchant’s house. It’s not particularly attractive, but it just does me nicely and it’s got room to actually plant a few trees.”

He continued:

“I still don’t know what all the fuss is about. What right does the public have to interfere my my private life? None! It reminds me of an episode of Coronation Street.”

Steen has been accused of being hopelessly out of touch with the British people and the national mood, and his references to Coronation Street and jealousy have been taken as a slur on working people.

David Cameron last night moved to distance himself from Mr Steen, who later apologised for his remarks but refused to retract his statement that he had behaved in a proper fashion.

Meanwhile, Nadine Dorries has likened the Telegraph’s expose to a McCarthy-era with-hunt and said it is “payback time for standing up for myself” over smeargate.