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| Kirkbride to stand down as an MP | Kirkbride to stand down as an MP |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride has announced that she will stand down as an MP at the next election. | The Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride has announced that she will stand down as an MP at the next election. |
| The MP had defended her decision to re-mortgage her second home by £50,000 to fund an extension and had insisted she wanted to remain as an MP. | The MP had defended her decision to re-mortgage her second home by £50,000 to fund an extension and had insisted she wanted to remain as an MP. |
| Announcing her decision, she said she "must take into account the effects on my family" of the row. | |
| In a separate development, the Labour MP for Luton South Margaret Moran announced she was also standing down. | In a separate development, the Labour MP for Luton South Margaret Moran announced she was also standing down. |
| The Daily Telegraph alleged she claimed £22,500 for treating dry rot in her designated second home in Southampton - 100 miles from her constituency. | The Daily Telegraph alleged she claimed £22,500 for treating dry rot in her designated second home in Southampton - 100 miles from her constituency. |
| Although she had repaid it a Labour disciplinary panel had been due to decide whether the Luton South MP could stand for the party again. | Although she had repaid it a Labour disciplinary panel had been due to decide whether the Luton South MP could stand for the party again. |
| Rent-free | Rent-free |
| In a letter to Mr Cameron, Ms Kirkbride said she wanted the Conservatives to have a "great result" at the next election. | |
| She added: "My principal concern has to be for my very loyal local supporters in Bromsgrove whose trust in me has been very humbling in the last few weeks. | |
| "I also must take into account the effects on my family." | |
| In his reply, Mr Cameron thanked her for being so "frank and candid", adding that he appreciated that she had been "under enormous pressure" from "unbearably intense" media scrutiny. | |
| He said: "I know this was a very hard decision for you to take, but I completely understand why you have decided to do so. | |
| "As you said to me this morning, your first instinct must now be to protect the well-being of your family - especially of your son." | |
| Ms Kirkbride had been due to take the fight for her political future to the doorsteps of her Bromsgrove over the next few days. | Ms Kirkbride had been due to take the fight for her political future to the doorsteps of her Bromsgrove over the next few days. |
| Mr Cameron had offered her qualified support, but BBC political correspondent James Landale said that by Thursday morning there was a clear sense that the row had to stop. | |
| Previously, Ms Kirbride had insisted her decision to re-mortgage her second home to fund an extension and claim for higher interest payments was in order. | |
| It didn't cross my mind that I had done anything wrong Julie Kirkbride Tory MP to repay 'staff costs' Labour MPs' future under review | It didn't cross my mind that I had done anything wrong Julie Kirkbride Tory MP to repay 'staff costs' Labour MPs' future under review |
| She said she needed an extra bedroom so her eight-year old son did not have to share a room with her brother, who lived there rent-free. | |
| The MP said she "understood" public anger about her expenses but said she had provided an "effective" service to constituents and wanted to be re-elected despite more than 4,000 constituents signing a petition calling for her to quit. | The MP said she "understood" public anger about her expenses but said she had provided an "effective" service to constituents and wanted to be re-elected despite more than 4,000 constituents signing a petition calling for her to quit. |
| She told the BBC on Thursday that she "bitterly regretted" not questioning her husband Andrew MacKay - the Tory MP for Bracknell who will stand down at the next election following controversy over his own claims - about advice he offered on expenses. | She told the BBC on Thursday that she "bitterly regretted" not questioning her husband Andrew MacKay - the Tory MP for Bracknell who will stand down at the next election following controversy over his own claims - about advice he offered on expenses. |
| Evening events | Evening events |
| Ms Kirkbride confirmed her 59-year old brother Ian lived rent-free in her Redditch flat some of the time and helped look after her son Angus, enabling her to attend constituency events in the evening. | Ms Kirkbride confirmed her 59-year old brother Ian lived rent-free in her Redditch flat some of the time and helped look after her son Angus, enabling her to attend constituency events in the evening. |
| She also defended increasing her mortgage last year to fund an extension to the flat, which saw the amount she claimed in monthly mortgage interest payments rise to £1,171. | She also defended increasing her mortgage last year to fund an extension to the flat, which saw the amount she claimed in monthly mortgage interest payments rise to £1,171. |
| The Daily Telegraph, which has obtained the expenses details of all 646 MPs, published further details of her mortgage arrangements on Thursday. | The Daily Telegraph, which has obtained the expenses details of all 646 MPs, published further details of her mortgage arrangements on Thursday. |
| Ms Kirkbride said it was "inappropriate" that her son should continue to share a room with her brother. | Ms Kirkbride said it was "inappropriate" that her son should continue to share a room with her brother. |
| The alternative, she insisted, would have been to move to a larger house which would have cost the taxpayer more. | The alternative, she insisted, would have been to move to a larger house which would have cost the taxpayer more. |
| Husband quit | Husband quit |
| She told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I understand people are angry about the way MPs' expenses operate, it is very hard to defend and I can understand why questions are being raised. | She told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I understand people are angry about the way MPs' expenses operate, it is very hard to defend and I can understand why questions are being raised. |
| "But until this week's furore, it didn't cross my mind that I had done anything wrong." | "But until this week's furore, it didn't cross my mind that I had done anything wrong." |
| Under the rules which governed expenses at the time, MPs could claim for essential maintenance and alterations required for family reasons but not for modifications or improvements designed to increase the value of their property. | Under the rules which governed expenses at the time, MPs could claim for essential maintenance and alterations required for family reasons but not for modifications or improvements designed to increase the value of their property. |
| Ms Kirkbride has faced a stream of allegations about her expenses and family arrangements in recent days. | Ms Kirkbride has faced a stream of allegations about her expenses and family arrangements in recent days. |
| Her husband Mr MacKay has already quit as an aide to Tory leader David Cameron and announced he will be standing down as an MP, after revelations about the couple's second home allowances. | Her husband Mr MacKay has already quit as an aide to Tory leader David Cameron and announced he will be standing down as an MP, after revelations about the couple's second home allowances. |
| Mr Mackay claimed the second homes allowance on the couple's London flat which Ms Kirkbride declared as her main residence. | Mr Mackay claimed the second homes allowance on the couple's London flat which Ms Kirkbride declared as her main residence. |
| Morally wrong | Morally wrong |
| Ms Kirkbride said both she and her husband regretted following advice from the Commons fees office but her arrangement was "quite different" to that of her husband, as she had been a "new MP" at the time it was agreed by the Commons authorities. | Ms Kirkbride said both she and her husband regretted following advice from the Commons fees office but her arrangement was "quite different" to that of her husband, as she had been a "new MP" at the time it was agreed by the Commons authorities. |
| On Wednesday, she admitted "it might appear strange" that her sister Karen worked as her secretary 140 miles from her constituency but stressed it was an arrangement that had worked "incredibly well" and her sister had done a "fantastic job". | On Wednesday, she admitted "it might appear strange" that her sister Karen worked as her secretary 140 miles from her constituency but stressed it was an arrangement that had worked "incredibly well" and her sister had done a "fantastic job". |
| Writing in the Times on Thursday, the MP expressed concern that the row over her expenses might discourage other mothers from becoming MPs. | Writing in the Times on Thursday, the MP expressed concern that the row over her expenses might discourage other mothers from becoming MPs. |
| But BBC reporter Bob Walker said: "It's hardly a scientific poll, but on the streets of Bromsgrove it's hard to find many people who fully support their MP." | But BBC reporter Bob Walker said: "It's hardly a scientific poll, but on the streets of Bromsgrove it's hard to find many people who fully support their MP." |
| Meanwhile Tory MP Sir John Butterfill has agreed to repay £20,000 in tax and mortgage payments, much of which was claimed from public funds towards staff quarters in his home. | Meanwhile Tory MP Sir John Butterfill has agreed to repay £20,000 in tax and mortgage payments, much of which was claimed from public funds towards staff quarters in his home. |
| Asked on BBC's Newsnight whether he believed he had done anything morally wrong, Sir John, MP for Bournemouth West, said: "I don't think it is unacceptable because I think that I've been misrepresented in what I did." | Asked on BBC's Newsnight whether he believed he had done anything morally wrong, Sir John, MP for Bournemouth West, said: "I don't think it is unacceptable because I think that I've been misrepresented in what I did." |