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| Kirkbride faces expenses pressure | Kirkbride faces expenses pressure |
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| Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has defended her use of public money amid fresh controversy about her expenses claims. | Tory MP Julie Kirkbride has defended her use of public money amid fresh controversy about her expenses claims. |
| She said her decision last year to claim for a £50,000 increase in her mortgage, used to fund an extension at her second home, was in order. | She said her decision last year to claim for a £50,000 increase in her mortgage, used to fund an extension at her second home, was in order. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Earlier she had defended the fact her brother lives there rent-free. | Earlier she had defended the fact her brother lives there rent-free. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Public anger | Public anger |
| In a series of 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. | In a series of 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 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, was set to publish further details of her mortgage arrangements on Thursday, she claimed. | The Daily Telegraph, which has obtained the expenses details of all 646 MPs, was set to publish further details of her mortgage arrangements on Thursday, she claimed. |
| In a letter to the Fees Office last June about her mortgage, 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. | In a letter to the Fees Office last June about her mortgage, 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 don't think my arrangements are wrong or against the rules Julie Kirkbride Labour MPs' future under review | |
| "I trust this is all in order." | "I trust this is all in order." |
| On Wednesday, Ms Kirkbride said it was "inappropriate" 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. | On Wednesday, Ms Kirkbride said it was "inappropriate" 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. |
| "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. |
| 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". |
| 'No secret' | 'No secret' |
| 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". |
| 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. |
| I think that Julie is out there explaining why she did what she did David Cameron, Conservative leader | |
| 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. |
| 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". |
| She said it was up to her local party to decide 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. |
| 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. |