FORMER Tory MP Sir John Butterfill has controversially been refunded more than £15,000 of the expenses he repaid last year.

According to a national newspaper Sir John, who stood down at the last election, has received £15,114.30 of the £17,748 he paid back after claiming mortgage interest payments on the whole of his former second home in Surrey, which included accommodation for a gardener/ caretaker.

Earlier this year a review of the expense claims by Sir Thomas Legg recommended he repay just £2,364.13.

At the time Sir John said he would not be asking for this back, saying his reputation “is frankly far more valuable to me than money”.

He is one of 23 MPs named in the tabloid over the weekend, who have been refunded money they paid following the scandal last year.

The MP has always refuted any wrongdoing relating to his expenses but said he paid back the money because of the public anger and the way the matter had been presented.

In March the former MP for Bournemouth West was caught up in a political lobbying row after he was taped by the Dispatches programme on Channel Four, suggesting he would set up meetings with ministers in a David Cameron government for money.

The programme also saw him tell the undercover reporter he was “quite likely” to be sent to the House of Lords.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo following the television show, Sir John admitted he had made a fool of himself but stressed he had not offered to do any work while still an MP.

He also said programme-makers had edited a lot of the discussion.

The show prompted David Cameron to rule out the move to the Lords.