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Kirkbride defends family payments Kirkbride defends family payments
(about 2 hours 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 defended her use of public money amid fresh controversy about her expenses claims.
But it was an arrangement that had worked "incredibly well" and her sister had done a "fantastic job". She said her decision last year to claim for a £50,000 increase in her mortgage, used to fund an extension at her Redditch home, was in order.
She also confirmed her brother lived rent-free in a taxpayer-funded flat but said he helped with childcare. She said she needed an extra bedroom so her eight-year old son did not have to share a room with her brother and the move was approved by the authorities.
The Bromsgrove MP said she "understood" public anger but said she had provided an "effective" service to constituents. Earlier she had defended the fact her brother lives there rent-free.
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. The Bromsgrove 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 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. Public anger
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. In a series of TV interviews on Wednesday, she 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 on her home, which saw the amount she claimed in monthly mortgage interest payments rise to £1,171.
In a letter to the Fees Office last June, she stated: "The extended mortgage was taken out to pay for the building of an extra bedroom at our property, accommodating the needs of our growing family.
"I trust this is all in order."
On Wednesday, Ms Kirkbride said it was "inappropriate" that her son should continue to share a room with her brother as the boy grew older and her actions were "entirely in accordance" with the rules.
The alternative, she insisted, would have been to move to a larger house which would have cost the taxpayer more.
Under the rules which governed expenses at the time, MPs could only claim for essential maintenance and dealing with wear and tear and not for improvements which could increase the value of their property.
I don't think my arrangements are wrong or against the rules Julie Kirkbride Labour MPs' future under review
Ms Kirkbride has faced a stream of allegations about her expenses and family arrangements in recent days.
Ms Kirkbride's 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.
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".
'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 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.
"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".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
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.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".
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'
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".
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 think that Julie is out there explaining why she did what she did David Cameron, Conservative leader
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 it was up to her local party to decide 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".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."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. 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.