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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Kirkbride defends family payments | Kirkbride defends family payments |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has admitted "it might appear strange" that her sister Karen worked as her secretary 140 miles from her constituency. | Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has admitted "it might appear strange" that her sister Karen worked as her secretary 140 miles from her constituency. |
| But it was an arrangement that had worked "incredibly well" and her sister had done a "fantastic job". | But it was an arrangement that had worked "incredibly well" and her sister had done a "fantastic job". |
| She also confirmed her brother lived rent-free in a taxpayer-funded flat but said he helped with childcare. | She also confirmed her brother lived rent-free in a taxpayer-funded flat but said he helped with childcare. |
| The Bromsgrove MP said she "understood" public anger but said she had provided an "effective" service to constituents. | The Bromsgrove MP said she "understood" public anger but said she had provided an "effective" service to constituents. |
| Meanwhile, Gordon Brown has vowed to take a "strong line" against Labour MPs who abused the parliamentary expenses system as an internal party panel met for the first time to consider whether four MPs criticised over their conduct should be able to stand at the next election. | Meanwhile, Gordon Brown has vowed to take a "strong line" against Labour MPs who abused the parliamentary expenses system as an internal party panel met for the first time to consider whether four MPs criticised over their conduct should be able to stand at the next election. |
| In her first television interview since her "complicated" expenses arrangements came to light, Ms Kirkbride said she wanted to be re-elected despite 5,000 constituents signing a petition calling for her to quit. | In her first television interview since her "complicated" expenses arrangements came to light, Ms Kirkbride said she wanted to be re-elected despite 5,000 constituents signing a petition calling for her to quit. |
| Her husband - Tory MP for Bracknell Andrew 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 - Tory MP for Bracknell Andrew 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. |
| 'No secret' | 'No secret' |
| Ms Kirkbride said they both 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 they both 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. |
| "I deserve to be judged on the merits of what I did and the forms I signed," she said. | "I deserve to be judged on the merits of what I did and the forms I signed," she said. |
| Asked if she would now be changing the way she ran her office, she said: "I don't think my arrangements are wrong or against the rules. They are ones that make it easier for me to do my job." | Asked if she would now be changing the way she ran her office, she said: "I don't think my arrangements are wrong or against the rules. They are ones that make it easier for me to do my job." |
| She said she would abide by the ruling of the Conservatives' scrutiny panel if it ordered her to pay the money back, and would stand down as an MP if David Cameron asked her to do so. | She said she would abide by the ruling of the Conservatives' scrutiny panel if it ordered her to pay the money back, and would stand down as an MP if David Cameron asked her to do so. |
| But asked about the MP's position, Mr Cameron said she was "giving a good account of herself". | |
| I bitterly regret the way the system works and the problems it has caused for people's perceptions of politics Julie Kirkbride Labour MPs' future under review | I bitterly regret the way the system works and the problems it has caused for people's perceptions of politics Julie Kirkbride Labour MPs' future under review |
| Ms Kirkbride said it was no secret that her sister, a former bank branch manager, worked for her, and it had been registered and her salary approved by the Commons authorities. | |
| "The fact is that Karen does an absolutely fantastic job for my constituents", she told the BBC News Channel. | "The fact is that Karen does an absolutely fantastic job for my constituents", she told the BBC News Channel. |
| She said her sister had "a networked computer that goes into my Bromsgrove office, into my London office - so she is in constant touch with me and my other staff, so that she is able to work with us even though she is not in the same office". | She said her sister had "a networked computer that goes into my Bromsgrove office, into my London office - so she is in constant touch with me and my other staff, so that she is able to work with us even though she is not in the same office". |
| Many people, including "lots of MPs", worked remotely and "whilst it might appear strange that she is 140 miles away, in actual fact it works," she added. | Many people, including "lots of MPs", worked remotely and "whilst it might appear strange that she is 140 miles away, in actual fact it works," she added. |
| 'Good account' | 'Good account' |
| She confirmed her brother Ian, who she described as "59-year-old bachelor who lives off his own investment income", lives rent free in her flat some of the time but said it was "absolutely not true" that he operated a business from it, as newspapers have claimed. | She confirmed her brother Ian, who she described as "59-year-old bachelor who lives off his own investment income", lives rent free in her flat some of the time but said it was "absolutely not true" that he operated a business from it, as newspapers have claimed. |
| She said her brother sometimes helped look after her young son, Angus, enabling her to attend constituency events in the evening "knowing that I can feel not guilty as a mother that my child is being properly looked-after by someone who loves him and cares for him". | She said her brother sometimes helped look after her young son, Angus, enabling her to attend constituency events in the evening "knowing that I can feel not guilty as a mother that my child is being properly looked-after by someone who loves him and cares for him". |
| I'm trying to be fair and consistent and I think that Julie is out there explaining why she did what she did David Cameron, Conservative leader | I'm trying to be fair and consistent and I think that Julie is out there explaining why she did what she did David Cameron, Conservative leader |
| She said she understood if people did not "understand the family relationships I might have put together in order to make my job manageable but for me it's the only way that I can manage doing a lot of work in the constituency while not feeling anguished over how my child is being cared for". | She said she understood if people did not "understand the family relationships I might have put together in order to make my job manageable but for me it's the only way that I can manage doing a lot of work in the constituency while not feeling anguished over how my child is being cared for". |
| Explaining why her brother had claimed £1,000 on her Parliamentary allowances for electrical equipment, she said he also worked as a "volunteer" in her office, building and maintaining her website, and had "occasionally sourced equipment" for her Parliamentary work. | Explaining why her brother had claimed £1,000 on her Parliamentary allowances for electrical equipment, she said he also worked as a "volunteer" in her office, building and maintaining her website, and had "occasionally sourced equipment" for her Parliamentary work. |
| "I bitterly regret the way the system works and the problems it has caused for people's perceptions of politics," she said. | "I bitterly regret the way the system works and the problems it has caused for people's perceptions of politics," she said. |
| She said she still thought she had a "lot to offer" as MP for Bromsgrove but it was a decision for her local party whether she stood at the next election. | She said she still thought she had a "lot to offer" as MP for Bromsgrove but it was a decision for her local party whether she stood at the next election. |
| She said she would be going out on the doorstep at the weekend to talk to voters but would not be attending a meeting on Saturday organised by her constituents due to family commitments. | She said she would be going out on the doorstep at the weekend to talk to voters but would not be attending a meeting on Saturday organised by her constituents due to family commitments. |
| Tory leader David Cameron said he was pleased that Ms Kirkbride was "out there explaining why she did what she did". | |
| "She'll also be doing that in her constituency as well and that's the right thing to do," he said. | |
| The BBC's political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said Ms Kirkbride would take comfort from Mr Cameron's remarks but that her fate was still likely to be determined by the mood of her constituency party and the next few days would be crucial. |