HARRY Cohen has for the first time apologised for a serious breach of expenses rules – on the orders of a parliamentary watchdog.

In a statement to a sparsely-attended Commons chamber on Friday, the Leyton and Wanstead MP said: "The good people of Leyton and Wanstead do not deserve to have their faith in their parliamentary representative so severely shaken.

“They deserve the best, untarnished representation. Also, the best of my efforts over the last 27 years has been to take up their cases, including of injustice to them."

“I am sorry for my assumption that I was eligible to claim as I did, which was wrong."

"I have the greatest respect for Parliament and would not intentionally have wanted to do anything to tarnish its reputation. I am sorry if I have done so."

Mr Cohen designated a property in Colchester as his main home, despite living mostly in his constituency between 2004 and 2008.

This enabled him to claim more than £70,000 in second homes allowances, including thousands on a bathroom refurbishment, cleaning products and toiletries.

He also intermittently rented out the Colchester property.

An outer London MP with one home would have been entitled to claim just £9,000 as a London supplement during the same period.

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee found him guilty of a “particularly serious” breach of the rules and ordered Mr Cohen to make the apology.

It also ruled that he must forfeit £65,000 he was due to receive when he steps down at the next election.

Mr Cohen complained that a "far more robust system" of support should have been available to members to help them interpret and abide by the rules.

Mr Cohen has previously said he is a better MP than Winston Churchill and told the committee hearing that he is “enormous value for money”, insisting he had brought "millions of pounds into the local economy and public services."

Mr Cohen and his wife moved from Colchester in 2004 while she underwent treatment for a stroke.

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