How many more plundered wills? As Tories and Lib Dems are shamed into giving up spinster's £520,000, parties face demands to review all bequests Joan Edwards left her money to 'whichever Government is in office' The Tories and Lib Dems were accused of 'robbery' after pocketing money They are now facing demands to review all bequests after handing it back Labour MP says case casts doubt over the 401 bequests in the past decade By Sam Greenhill and Daniel Martin Political parties faced demands to review all bequests last night after the Tories and Lib Dems were shamed into handing back a spinster's £520,000 legacy. They gave up the cash after being accused of "robbery" for pocketing the proceeds of 91-year-old Joan Edwards's will, in a case highlighted yesterday by the Daily Mail. When she died last year, the former NHS nurse left her estate to "whichever Government is in office" to "use as they may think fit." But instead of putting it into the Health Service or improving schools, the Coalition parties carved it up as a political donation. The Tories banked £420,000 and the Lib Dems took £100,000. Prime Minister David Cameron (left) has given in to howls of protest and said the Tories would give up to the Treasury their share of the money left by former NHS nurse Joan Edwards (right) Party spin doctors had tried to suggest Miss Edwards had meant her legacy to benefit "whichever party" was in power. But after the Mail revealed the true wording of the will, David Cameron gave in to the howls of protest and said the Tories would give up their share to the Treasury, "so it can help to pay down the national debt, which I think meets the spirit of what this very generous lady meant." It immediately prompted calls to examine other recent bequests to the main parties - there were 401 in the past decade. Paul Flynn, a Labour member of the public administration select committee, said the case cast a shadow of doubt over them. He added: "All parties should go back through their bequests to check and ensure that there is no doubt at all over who was the intended beneficiary of the money." Young donor: Party spin doctors had tried to suggest Miss Edwards (pictured in 1931) had meant her legacy to benefit 'whichever party' was in power MPs face a long battle to regain public trust after the expenses scandal, and this is not going to help. If doubts remain, then the stench will remain. Tory MP Conor Burns said: "I am sure all political parties will want to go back and check. In the light of the expenses scandal, politicians have to be so careful to be transparent about where their money came from. This case has reinforced the public's impression about politics and politicians, which isn't a good one. Robert Oxley, campaign director of the TaxPayers" Alliance, said: "Taxpayers who leave a little extra for public services when they are gone don't expect their cash to be diverted into politicians" election war chests." 'Doubt': Labour MP Paul Flynn (left) said the case cast a shadow of doubt over the 401 bequests to the main parties made in the past decade. Tory MP Conor Burns (right) said the case had 'reinforced the public's impression about politics and politicians, which isn't a good one' The Lib Dems and Tories began the day yesterday clinging to the idea they would keep the cash, but they soon came under a barrage of criticism, including from their own MPs. Mr Burns said on Twitter: "Whoever decided to accept a penny of Joan Edwards's money for the party has very poor judgment. We must return it before the morning is out. Steve Webb, the Lib Dem pensions minister, said Miss Edwards's wishes should be "honoured," while another Tory, Zac Goldsmith, said: "This needs to be sorted out now." As the tide turned, the Lib Dems rushed to be first to claim the moral high ground, announcing shortly before 11am they were paying their £100,000 share to the Treasury to help pay off the national debt. Within three minutes, the Tories hurriedly followed suit. The Prime Minister said: "The executors of the will decided it was right to pay the money to the parties of government, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. But I think when you look at the wording of the will, it seems to us the intention was more to benefit the nation. There was a twist in the afternoon when the executors of Miss Edwards's will, Davis Wood solicitors, announced that she had verbally instructed them in 2001 she wanted her money "to be left to whichever political party formed the Government." But the firm could not explain why there was no mention of any party in the actual will that it had drafted for her. The Law Society's wills committee chairman Richard Roberts said it was "regrettable" the firm "did not actually interpret her instructions clearly," and Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said there was no ambiguity "whatsoever" in the wording of the will. Her donation of £520,000 suggests that, before inheritance tax was taken off, Miss Edwards, of Bristol, was worth £648,333 when she died. Neighbours said they had "absolutely no idea" the former midwife had been so wealthy. About 20 mourners attended Miss Edwards's funeral in September 2012. Retired vicar The Reverend Michael Massey, 76, read the following eulogy, which he yesterday gave to the Mail. "She was someone who was fiercely independent and would only rarely accept help, even from people she knew well like close neighbours - and then only if it was "absolutely necessary." All her life she served others, firstly as a school nurse, then as a district nurse and finally, in her best remembered role, as a midwife. The vicar concluded: "When she died, Joan was 91 years, one month and 12 days old. She served others all her life and they benefited from it. Now she will receive her just reward. May she rest in peace. How could her legacy go astray? Questions over Joan's will... and the £7m others left to the nation Public-spirited Britons have left £7million to the nation over the past decade, but have bequeathed twice as much to political parties. The £23million total was bequeathed in 401 wills. There is usually no confusion about where the money should go, with wills explicitly spelling out who is to benefit - making it all the more extraordinary that Joan Edwards" legacy ended up in Tory and Lib Dem coffers. Since 2001, political parties have been left almost £15.7million, according to figures from the Electoral Commission. The Tories received the most - £5.6million - with Labour banking £3.9million. The Scottish National Party were next on £2.4million, followed by the Liberal Democrats on £1.7million. Analysis of a small sample of these wills reveals they were very specific in stating which party their money should go to. Often, the person's will includes the address of the political party's headquarters, to rule out any doubt. For example, Ruth Beardmore of Torquay, Devon, who died in January 2004, left £396,409.55 to the Tories. Her will said the money should pass to "the Conservative Party of Great Britain of 32 Smith Square, London SW1 absolutely." Similarly, Vera Archer of Epsom, Surrey, who died in December 2000, left £100,000 to the Labour Party, and her will states: "As to a further quarter of my residuary estate for the Labour Party National Executive of 15 Walworth Road, London, SE17 for the general purposes of the Labour Party." But Miss Edwards" money was handed to political parties when her will did not mention a particular party - and not even the word "party." Her case is not the first in which ambiguity has led to an unseemly scramble to grab a legacy. The Mail has learnt that in 2006 the death of David Grigg, a Welsh gravedigger, led to a debate about his £1million assets, which he bequeathed to "the government for the time being of the United Kingdom." The term "time being" caused difficulties because, when he prepared his will in the 1990s, John Major's Conservative government was in power. When he died, in March 2006, Labour was running the country. A former Tory adviser involved in the case, who did not want to be named, claimed that some politicians sought to "snatch" the legacy. However, the adviser said Dominic Grieve, now the Attorney General but at the time a member of the Opposition, took the view that the cash was clearly intended for the benefit of the nation. If people want to bequest money to the country, the usual procedure is that the executor of their will notifies the Treasury Solicitor's department, who are then prepared to receive a cheque made out to "HM Treasury." The £7million left to the nation came mainly from wills that typically stated that legacies should go to "the Government." Over the past 12 years, other recipients of party donations have included Plaid Cymru (£531,000), and the British National Party (£663,000). Noel Kirkby of Brighton, East Sussex, who died in April 2007 leaving £150,000, was particularly specific in his instructions. He wrote that his money should go to the Green Party. The will went on to say that the sum should still go to the party even if it had changed its name or should go to any new party formed by its amalgamation. Had the Green Party ceased to exist, the will stated it should go instead to Friends of the Earth. Bequests: According to figures from the Electoral Commission, political parties have been left almost £15.7m since 2001, with Labour banking £3.9m and the Lib Dems receiving £1.7m