MP in court over debt claims

Paul Marsden defected from Labour two years ago

An MP who defected from Labour to the Liberal Democrats was "obstructive" when asked to hand back more than £1,000 worth of computer equipment, a court has heard.

Paul Marsden, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, was taken to court by the Labour Party over claims he owed them £1,129 for office equipment leased to him before defecting two years ago.

Birmingham County Court heard on Friday the claim related to computers and printers which the party had agreed to buy after the 35-year-old MP approached them for financial help following his election in 1997.

Giving evidence, Simon Edwards, Shrewsbury and Atcham Labour Party treasurer, said Mr Marsden had asked for assistance in January 1998 after spending his allowance for office costs for the year.

After Mr Marsden's defection in December, the local party embarked on a campaign, a publicity campaign, designed to pressure him as resigning as an MP Simon England, defending

Mr Edwards said the party had agreed to purchase the equipment and rent it to Mr Marsden for a set figure every month but had felt uncomfortable over the issue.

After his decision to defect over the war in Afghanistan in December 2001, Mr Edwards said he asked for the equipment to be returned immediately claiming the arrangement had become untenable.

Mr Edwards said: "The defendant was obstructive in returning the equipment ... he was unreasonable."

He said the MP failed to provide the balance following his defection and that the party had been pursuing him for the outstanding amount ever since.

Simon England, who is representing the MP, said: "After Mr Marsden's defection in December, the local party embarked on a campaign, a publicity campaign, designed to pressure him as resigning as an MP.

"You intended to embarrass him. You wanted Mr Marsden to seek re-election as an MP," he said.

The hearing was adjourned until 2 December.