A Devon MP has received £10,000 in libel damages and an apology from his local paper over allegations that he’d claimed excessive expenses from the public purse.

Member for Totnes Anthony Steen complained about a story in Western Morning News in January under the headline: “I should have my own taxi! – MP’s outburst over claim for special travel allowances”.

The story alleged that Mr Steen took taxis because he did not want to use public transport, Media Lawyer reports.

An apology was printed on page three with a front-page teaser: “Totnes MP Anthony Steen – an apology from the WMN.”

The paper also paid Mr Steen’s legal costs and agreed not to repeat the allegations.

Solicitor Mark Thomson, from the London firm Carter-Ruck which represented the MP, said: “The front page mention was important. As he is an MP, the prominence of the apology is as important as the damages.

“I think the media are coming to recognise that for certain matters a front page apology is extremely important.

“The Press Complaints Commission has also been stressing the need for apologies and corrections to be given the proper prominence.”

The newspaper, which had made an offer of amends, said in its apology: “The article alleged in the first few paragraphs that Mr Steen had sought outrageously excessive, inappropriate and unnecessary financial support from the public purse so that he could take taxis simply to avoid using public transport and, as such, his conduct is unbefitting of an MP.

“We accept that these allegations are totally untrue and that Mr Steen was misreported in a number of respects.

“For example he did not say ‘I should have my own taxi!’ or that he should have a special taxi allowance to get around London to avoid using the Underground.

“Mr Steen takes taxis infrequently but believes that as part of the constituency travel arrangements MPs with heavy cases and papers should be entitled to travel from Westminster to the London train stations by taxi when the weather is inclement, an arrangement which has now been in existence for some years and has Parliamentary approval.

“We accept that any suggestion that Mr Steen wishes to take advantage of the public purse is wrong.

“Accordingly, we are happy to correct the false impression that was given by the article and to apologise to Mr Steen for the distress and embarrassment caused as a result. We are happy to set the record straight.”