GORDON BROWN has pledged to clean up MPs’ expenses during a visit to the region.

The Prime Minister said he had been appalled and angered by claims in recent weeks, and said any MPs who had done anything wrong would have to return the money.

Mr Brown told The Northern Echo: “They will be disciplined. There will be a penalty to be paid.”

During an interview with The Northern Echo, Mr Brown, when asked how he could begin to regain public trust, said that he had to show he was cleaning up the system and “getting on with the job”

of securing more support for businesses in the region, more help for people looking for work and helping people with mortgages.

He said: “I said right at the beginning of this world recession we will do everything we can to help people and that is what we are doing.

“Where there are problems – as there are in Corus and Nissan – we are talking to the By Mark Tallentire mark.tallentire@nne.co.uk companies to see what we can do to help.”

Asked why he would not allow the public to give their verdict in a snap General Election, Mr Brown said the system should be cleaned up first, and said: “I think we would be failing in our duty if we did not keep going with what we have got to do to get this country out of recession.”

The Prime Minister was speaking during a 25-minute visit to Laurel Avenue children’s centre, on Sherburn Road estate, Durham City, where he met staff and children.

Mr Brown praised the work of Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods, whose seat is being targeted by the Lib Dems, and said the Government was leading the way with new investment.

Mr Brown’s trip to the region, during which he also visited community groups in North Tyneside, came eight days before the country goes to the polls for European Parliamentary elections.

He said it was important people recognised that thousands of UK businesses depend on Europe. He said: “Getting out of this downturn depends on working with Europe.

We cannot just walk away from what we need from Europe, which is investment in jobs here.

“To get out of this recession, we need to work closely with Europe and that is why it is important that people come out and vote for parties that are prepared to support the European Union.”