TOBIAS Ellwood's first public meeting on MPs' expenses was a subdued affair.

The anger from the audience of 55 at Bournemouth School for Girls was mainly directed at the system and not Mr Ellwood, and little time was spent discussing his own claims.

Mr Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, claimed £66,403 over the three years for which figures were available, £381 short of the £66,784 he could have claimed.

He mainly used the money to refurbish and mortgage a London flat and then to mortgage a converted barn in Bournemouth.

He admitted to voting last year against the expenses information being revealed, saying he had not understood the legislation's details and followed the advice of a colleague.

"I was wrong. I am sorry about that. I understand why people would worry that I wasn't being open. It was a mistake. I am human like anybody else," said Mr Ellwood.

Dave Stokes, 48, a civil engineer from Strouden Park, and Mr Ellwood's Labour challenger for the seat, said afterwards: "He was very transparent and I don't think he has anything to be concerned about."

Mr Ellwood also told the audience MPs should hold similar meetings.

"My colleagues thought I was mad. They said 'Tobias, what are you doing? You have not had a big splash in The Telegraph. In a couple of days you would have weathered it.'

"But it's that sort of club feeling that has got us into this trouble, the lack of exposure of members of parliament to the electorate."

Want to ask Mr Ellwood a question? Go to bournemouthecho.co.uk/expenses_blog to sign up for our live blog. You'll be able to ask Tobias Ellwood, Jim Knight and Annette Brooke about the expenses scandal.

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