Spelman secretary was first to raise concern over nanny

Concerns that the Conservative Party chairman, Caroline Spelman, was using her parliamentary expenses to pay her nanny were first raised by her own secretary, it was reported on BBC2's Newsnight last night. Sally Hammond – who became a part-time secretary to Ms Spelman in 1999 – was "shocked" to discover how she much paid Tina Hayes. Ms Hayes was employed by Ms Spelman after she became an MP in 1997, to look after her children and do secretarial work. However, according to Newsnight, Ms Hammond found that Ms Hayes performed little or no secretarial duties. Ms Hammond – wife of the Tory MP Stephen Hammond – reported the matter and the practice was stopped. Senior Tories are said to be calling for Ms Spelman's resignation.