CHELMSFORD MP Simon Burns has revealed he plans to give up his rented London flat in the wake of the expenses scandal.

The Conservative MP says although he has done nothing wrong by claiming the rent for the property, he feels it is the right decision to make in response to the public’s reaction.

Mr Burns was criticised for renting the flat when it was claimed he lives a 35-minute train ride from his constituency home.

However, he takes issue with this, saying the trip is more likely to take up to 90 minutes, taking into account Tube times.

He said: “I have decided to give up the flat from next month. If that is what is needed to regain the public’s confidence, so be it.”

Mr Burns has also revealed he will be paying back around £2,900 that he overclaimed for rent on the flat, which is £1,000 per month.

He added: “We were sent a copy of all that we had claimed for and when I sat down and looked through it, I realised I had claimed too much. It was a mistake and I will correct that error.”

Mr Burns was also criticised for claiming £850 for a bed for his flat, a criticism he said was not justified.

“I wasn’t going to buy a second-hand bed,” he said. “I don’t think £850 is too much for a bed – if it had been several thousand I could have understood it.”

Talking about the expenses issue generally, Mr Burns said: “It is an absolute mess and we are all at fault.

“We should have got to grips with it some while ago. Sir Christopher Kelly is conducting an inquiry into allowances and expenses and I hope some concrete proposals will come from it.”

Mr Burns said he had received 28 letters and e-mails on the issue of MPs’ expenses, with about six asking why he rented a flat in London and two saying they understood why he did so.

Mr Burns claimed a total of £135,537 for the year 2007/08, including £18,908 in second home allowance.

A full list of his expenses can be seen by going to the website www.parliament.uk