BOURNEMOUTH West MP Sir John Butterfill spoke yesterday of his sadness that his long political career was ending on “a sour note”.

Sir John spoke to the Echo amid allegations he used the expenses system for huge personal gain.

He is said to have avoided capital gains tax after making a £600,000 profit on the sale of his taxpayer-funded mansion in Surrey and is also said to have claimed thousands of pounds for his servants’ quarters.

A good MP but he must go - constituents give their view

He admitted he had made a “technical error” in claiming back the council tax and mortgage interest on a staff annexe for his gardener and his wife, and said he would pay this back.

But he said the allegation he avoided paying capital gains tax was “not correct” and insisted he did nothing wrong in designating his six-bedroom Surrey home as his main residence for tax purposes but his second home for Parliamentary purposes. By doing this, Sir John was entitled to claim for the upkeep and renovation of the mansion but was not liable for capital gains tax when he sold it on in 2005.

Sir John said he was contacted by the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon and admitted: “I didn’t sleep well at all that night.

“I have had one or two messages of support but I have also had a couple of very unpleasant emails,” he said.

He was already standing down at the next election but is facing calls from some constituents to resign now.

“It’s very sad. I find it particularly upsetting that it should all end on a sour note rather than a happy one,” he said. “My family is pretty upset.”

When asked whether the coverage was justified, he said: “In so far as I clearly did make a mistake, I think it possibly is but in relation to capital gains tax, no, it’s not, because they have twisted the figures.

“The headline in the Telegraph said one thing and later on, the story says something else. I just think it’s a deceitful way to present the figures.”

Bournemouth West Conservative Association yesterday refused to be drawn on the allegations levelled against Sir John Butterfill. In a statement the association said it was down to the Bournemouth West MP to defend himself against the claims, not them.

Meanwhile, Labour MP for Luton South Margaret Moran said yesterday she would be stepping down, complaining that the furore over her £22,500 dry rot claim had damaged her health.

TV presenter Esther Rantzen, who has a home in the New Forest, had said she would stand as an independent against her.