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MPs Kirkbride and Moran to quit MPs Kirkbride and Moran to quit
(about 1 hour later)
Julie Kirkbride and Margaret Moran have announced they will stand down as MPs at the next election. Tory MP Julie Kirkbride and Labour's Margaret Moran are standing down at the election after expenses revelations.
Ms Kirkbride, Tory MP for Bromsgrove, had defended her decision to re-mortgage her second home by £50,000 to fund an extension. Ms Kirkbride had faced a welter of claims about her expenses claims and said she "must take into account the effects on my family" of the row.
Announcing her decision, she said she "must take into account the effects on my family" of the row. Ms Moran, who has been under pressure over her £22,000 dry rot claim, said she was quitting "with great sadness".
In a separate development, the Labour MP for Luton South Margaret Moran announced she was also standing down. Tory MP Christopher Fraser said he will also step down - but insisted it was not connected to his expenses claims.
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 the money a Labour disciplinary panel had been due to decide whether the MP could stand for the party again.
Rent-freeRent-free
In a letter to Mr Cameron, Ms Kirkbride, 48, said she wanted the Conservatives to have a "great result" at the next election.In a letter to Mr Cameron, Ms Kirkbride, 48, 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.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.
The understandable anger in the media and amongst the public over the issue of my Parliamentary expenses has had a bruising effect upon my friends, my family and my health Margaret Moran Labour MP Claims row Moran to quit The understandable anger in the media and amongst the public over the issue of my Parliamentary expenses has had a bruising effect upon my friends, my family and my health Margaret Moran Labour MP Claims row Moran to quit class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8072666.stm">MP Fraser to leave Commons
"I also must take into account the effects on my family.""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.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.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.""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 constituency over the next few days.Ms Kirkbride had been due to take the fight for her political future to the doorsteps of her Bromsgrove constituency 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.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.
Sustained pressureSustained pressure
Ms Kirkbride has spent the past few days defending herself from a range of criticism of her expenses claims and her domestic arrangements.Ms Kirkbride has spent the past few days defending herself from a range of criticism of her expenses claims and her domestic arrangements.
She was initially embroiled in the expenses story as a result of revelations that her husband - and fellow Tory MP Andrew Mackay - had named their main home in London as his second home and claimed expenses for it.She was initially embroiled in the expenses story as a result of revelations that her husband - and fellow Tory MP Andrew Mackay - had named their main home in London as his second home and claimed expenses for it.
David Cameron: 'I respect Julie Kirkbride's decision to step down'David Cameron: 'I respect Julie Kirkbride's decision to step down'
But despite him quitting and Mr Cameron saying her case was "different", she then had to defend the fact her brother lived rent-free in the constituency home she claimed second home allowances for.But despite him quitting and Mr Cameron saying her case was "different", she then had to defend the fact her brother lived rent-free in the constituency home she claimed second home allowances for.
She faced television cameras on Wednesday afternoon to defend the arrangement - and the fact she paid her sister for secretarial work despite her living more than 100 miles from her constituency.She faced television cameras on Wednesday afternoon to defend the arrangement - and the fact she paid her sister for secretarial work despite her living more than 100 miles from her constituency.
And on Thursday she was again forced to defend herself - this time over claiming for an extension at her second home.And on Thursday she was again forced to defend herself - this time over claiming for an extension at her second home.
She said she needed an extra bedroom so her eight-year old son did not have to share a room with her 59-year old brother, who helps to look after her son.She said she needed an extra bedroom so her eight-year old son did not have to share a room with her 59-year old brother, who helps to look after her son.
Before announcing she was to 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.Before announcing she was to 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.
MPS LEAVING PARLIAMENT The following MPs have said in the past three weeks that they will not contest the next electionConservative: Andrew MacKay, Julie Kirkbride, Douglas Hogg, Sir Peter Viggers, Anthony Steen, Nicholas and Ann WintertonLabour: Margaret Moran, Ben Chapman, Ian McCartney, John Smith, Michael Martin (Speaker) In full: Kirkbride quits letters Tory MP to repay 'staff costs'MPS LEAVING PARLIAMENT The following MPs have said in the past three weeks that they will not contest the next electionConservative: Andrew MacKay, Julie Kirkbride, Douglas Hogg, Sir Peter Viggers, Anthony Steen, Nicholas and Ann WintertonLabour: Margaret Moran, Ben Chapman, Ian McCartney, John Smith, Michael Martin (Speaker) In full: Kirkbride quits letters Tory MP to repay 'staff costs'
"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."
Meanwhile, as the Daily Telegraph's MP expenses revelations neared their third week, she was joined in stepping down at the next election by Labour MP Margaret Moran.Meanwhile, as the Daily Telegraph's MP expenses revelations neared their third week, she was joined in stepping down at the next election by Labour MP Margaret Moran.
The Daily Telegraph alleged she claimed £22,500 for treating dry rot in her designated second home in Southampton - 100 miles from her Luton South constituency.
Although she had repaid the money a Labour disciplinary panel had been due to decide whether the MP could stand for the party again.
In a statement, Ms Moran, 54, said it was "with great sadness" that she had decided to leave Parliament at the next election following discussions with her family.In a statement, Ms Moran, 54, said it was "with great sadness" that she had decided to leave Parliament at the next election following discussions with her family.
"However, it is very important that I make it absolutely clear that I have done nothing wrong or dishonest in relation to my claim for expenses and have at all times acted on advice from the House of Commons Fees Office in relation to my family home in Southampton," she added."However, it is very important that I make it absolutely clear that I have done nothing wrong or dishonest in relation to my claim for expenses and have at all times acted on advice from the House of Commons Fees Office in relation to my family home in Southampton," she added.
A few hours later Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, said he had decided not to fight the next election, saying that his wife's on-going health problems had "made it difficult to juggle my family life with my duties as an MP".
The Daily Telegraph said Mr Fraser had claimed £1,800 in public money to buy more than 200 trees in his garden and he has faced questions in his constituency over his designation of a home in Dorset as his main home.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said MPs found to have committed serious offences should not automatically remain in place until the next general election.Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said MPs found to have committed serious offences should not automatically remain in place until the next general election.
He said their constituents should have the power to decide whether to replace them now.He said their constituents should have the power to decide whether to replace them now.