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| Expenses row MP faces more claims | Expenses row MP faces more claims |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has been accused of allowing her brother to live rent free in her taxpayer-funded home, claims she calls a "total distortion". | Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has been accused of allowing her brother to live rent free in her taxpayer-funded home, claims she calls a "total distortion". |
| The News of the World alleges Ian Kirkbride, 49, registered a business to the flat in a Bromsgrove stately home. | |
| The Bromsgrove MP said her brother was sometimes there to look after her son. | The Bromsgrove MP said her brother was sometimes there to look after her son. |
| She and her husband, Tory MP Andrew MacKay, have been under fire for both claiming second home allowances. He has said he will step down. | She and her husband, Tory MP Andrew MacKay, have been under fire for both claiming second home allowances. He has said he will step down. |
| The newspaper says Ms Kirkbride has been claiming over £1,000 a month in mortgage payments on the apartment in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire - plus thousands of pounds for maintenance. | The newspaper says Ms Kirkbride has been claiming over £1,000 a month in mortgage payments on the apartment in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire - plus thousands of pounds for maintenance. |
| Family support | Family support |
| But in a statement, she said: "My brother, Ian, stays in my Bromsgrove apartment and in my London home from time to time to help look after my son. | But in a statement, she said: "My brother, Ian, stays in my Bromsgrove apartment and in my London home from time to time to help look after my son. |
| "I claim no expenses for my brother and neither do I pay him or claim for his help. He also acts as a volunteer in helping me with my office work and administration. | "I claim no expenses for my brother and neither do I pay him or claim for his help. He also acts as a volunteer in helping me with my office work and administration. |
| "Up and down the country families have their relatives stay with them and get them to help with things like childcare. | "Up and down the country families have their relatives stay with them and get them to help with things like childcare. |
| "Ian has his own home but prefers to stay with me and help me. | "Ian has his own home but prefers to stay with me and help me. |
| "There is no cost to the taxpayer in the arrangement and there is nothing for me to apologise for. | "There is no cost to the taxpayer in the arrangement and there is nothing for me to apologise for. |
| "To describe this arrangement as my brother living rent-free is a total distortion." | "To describe this arrangement as my brother living rent-free is a total distortion." |
| A petition has already been set up in Ms Kirkbride's constituency calling for her resignation. | A petition has already been set up in Ms Kirkbride's constituency calling for her resignation. |
| Organisers of the Julie Must Go campaign say they hope to collect 10,000 signatures by the beginning of June. | Organisers of the Julie Must Go campaign say they hope to collect 10,000 signatures by the beginning of June. |
| Mr MacKay, who announced earlier he would leave Parliament at the next general election, claimed the second homes allowance on the couple's London flat. | Mr MacKay, who announced earlier he would leave Parliament at the next general election, claimed the second homes allowance on the couple's London flat. |
| Ms Kirkbride, meanwhile, declared it as her main residence so she could claim expenses on their Bromsgrove residence. | Ms Kirkbride, meanwhile, declared it as her main residence so she could claim expenses on their Bromsgrove residence. |