Duck house Tory's pounds 1m French chateau

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, May 24, 2009 | by SUSIE BONIFACE

NOT a duck maison in sight... but this pounds 1million French chateau is where shamed Tory MP Sir Peter Viggers plans to flee this week to escape the furore over his Commons expenses.

His grand pile among Burgundy's vineyards is the perfect spot for Sir Peter to reflect on what he now calls "a ridiculous and grave error of judgement".

The MP for Gosport, Hants, was forced to announce he was standing down after claiming pounds 30,000 towards gardening at his home, including pounds 500 for manure and pounds 1,645 on a "floating duck island" for his pond - which was disallowed.

Last night Sir Peter, 71, an MP for 35 years, said of the exotic feature: "The ducks never liked it anyway - it is now in storage."