Under-attack Reeves denies she was quizzed over bank expenses

RACHEL Reeves insisted she was never questioned about her expenses as the controversy about her banking career before she entered politics continued yesterday.

- By Christian Calgie

The Chancellor defended herself from allegations she was probed about the misuse of expenses while working at Halifax Bank of Scotland in the 2000s.

A BBC expose on Thursday revealed a whistleblower reported her to bosses, accusing her of spending hundreds of pounds on handbags, perfume, earrings and wine.

It was claimed that the internal audit team found evidence of wrongdoing by Ms Reeves and her two colleagues before passing the findings to the risk department in April 2009.

However, the next interview stage did not take place, nor is there evidence it reached a conclusion.

Yesterday the Chancellor, who visiting a housing development in Nottingham, insisted she was "never questioned" over her expenses while working at HBOS.

In her first comments since the story was published, the under-fire Chancellor insisted: "No one ever raised any concerns about my expenses when I worked for Halifax Bank of Scotland.