NORFOLK's parliamentary hopefuls, including a Great Yarmouth candidate, last night said the MPs' expenses row had only fuelled their determination to go into politics and they vowed to clean up the “disgraceful” system.

NORFOLK's parliamentary hopefuls, including a Great Yarmouth candidate, last night said the MPs' expenses row had only fuelled their determination to go into politics and they vowed to clean up the “disgraceful” system.

Six of the county's prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs), from across the major parties, said the good name of many MPs had been smeared by a few.

Their comments came after the publication in a national newspaper of lavish and extravagant expenses claims made by MPs to fund second homes and, in some cases, make money from the system.

And all six said they had no qualms about the likely tightening up of the claims system, saying that a bare minimum of expenses along with a standard MP's wage was more than enough to live on.

Brandon Lewis, Conservative PPC for Yarmouth, said: “The system needs to be clear, transparent and run by an outside body.”