Harry Cohen MP has hit out at "vile bile written about Members" over the expenses scandal.

Mr Cohen raised a question to leader of the House of Commons, Harriet Harman, in the wake of the scandal surrounding allegations of illegal phone-tapping at the News of the World.

He asked for a full scale debate, not just about phone-tapping, but about BBC pay and pensions, which he claimed "far exceed those of MPs".

The MP also called for the debate to include "vile bile" published by the media on politicians.

Mr Cohen has himself been at the centre of a number of negative reports following the national controversy over MPs' expense claims.

He has been under scrutiny from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after being criticised for his use of the second homes allowance.

Mr Cohen has claimed one of the highest second home payments of all London MPs.

It was also reported that Mr Cohen spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money redecorating a second home before selling it and then claiming £12,000 in stamp duty and fees on a new house.

He also came into the line of fire over expense claims for items such as a pineapple slicer, shaving oil and baby wipes.

Mr Cohen added: "Self-regulation seems to have failed in the financial sector and in Parliament - why, then, is it all right for self-regulation to persist in the media?"

However, Mr Cohen also stated that the debate should include "the need to save local journalists' jobs".

He is set to stand down as MP for Leyton and Wanstead at the next general election.