Jane Collins by the resignation of Labour MP Eric Illsley over the UK parliamentary expenses scandal. She came second to Labour's Dan Jarvis, winning 12% of the vote. She again stood for UKIP in the November 2012 Rotherham by-election triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Denis MacShane, also over the expenses scandal. She came second to Labour's Sarah Champion, winning almost 22% of the vote, at that time UKIP's best result in a by-election. During the by-election campaign a row emerged after Rotherham's Labour council removed three foster children from the care of their foster parents, which the "Daily Telegraph" wrongly
FÁS expenses scandal tickets to a game at Croke Park. He is married to Noreen, and has four children. In a Radio 1 interview on 27 November, Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke described Mary Harney's involvement in the scandal as "a load of hoo-hah". Health Minister Mary Harney has defended her use of expenses while on a FÁS trip to the US. On 28 November Mary Harney defended herself with the claim that she was "not on holiday", had not used public taxes for her own personal grooming, blamed the use of the government jet on the Taoiseach and had followed "advice" in