BBC NEWS | Politics | Tory MP quits post over expenses
He claimed full second home allowance on his London address, while his wife, Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, claimed the full allowance for another home.
Quite bizarre to hear this today, almost as if it were news! Two months ago I pointed out that the same MP and his wife Julie Kirkbride were both claiming second home allowance, despite them both presumably living together.
Keep Addresses Secret
It is now clear why Julie Kirkbride was so intent on keeping her address secret, as it would, after all, have confirmed that both her and her husband were living at the same address and both claiming second home expenses. As I said at the time:
Kirkbride has been against any form of a transparent Parliament right from the off, and I am not surprised, she also claims the maximum housing entitlement, despite her husband being an MP and also making the same claim! They couldn’t stay together when in London? They need £50,000 a year for accommodation in London for the two of them? Between them they also rack up nearly £300,000 in expenses.
At the time I thought that they were making separate claims for housing in London, which in itself was bad enough but instead they were both claiming separately meaning the taxpayer not only furnished both their homes but also help pay both mortgages too!
Asked if his expenses claim felt wrong at the time, he said: “Looking back now, it does look strange. I have clearly made an error of judgement for which I profusely apologise.”
An error of judgement? An error of judgement is leaping a ditch and failing to properly take into account your age and the distance and then landing in it. You wouldn’t do that ten times in a row. He, and his scandal prone wife, have been making this error of judgement for nearly a decade. That is not an error, it is theft. The benefits office would not accept an ‘error of judgement’ as an excuse for claiming benefits for which a person is not entitled. Nor would the taxman accept it as an excuse for dodgy tax claims, yet for MPs it seems to be a get out of jail free card.
Mrs MacKay
It is reassuring to see that not only was Julie Kirkbride there at the very beginning of the Tory sleaze scandal, even 18 years on, she is still as dirty as the best of them.
Senior Tories say they do not expect to take any action against his wife, Julie Kirkbride, with sources suggesting “for the time being she is in the clear”.
I find this shocking, but a typical Tory tactic. MacKay will fall on his sword, or at least get a nasty paper cut, but nothing else, and his wife will get away Scott free; despite them having to claim their expenses separately so neither can blame the other or claim they were unaware.
As I mentioned in the previous post, Julie Kirkbride was hell bent on stopping expenses and her address becoming public knowledge and this is clearly the reason why. To claim that it was merely an error of judgement, on the part of Mr MacKay, is a complete falsehood. They both knew precisely what they were doing, and were positively shitting themselves at the thought that they may be discovered. This is why they were voting against any form of transparency at every turn and worse still, voting for new laws to hide their information.
Now that they have been found out, they simply assume an apology and an offer to pay back the fraudulently claimed expenses is enough.
Bill Please
In his interview, MacKay claimed that he didn’t know how much he needed to pay back, only that he would meet with officials and payback what they told him to. Together he and his wife have claimed nearly £250,000 in housing expenses since 2001. Is he going to pay all of that back? Unlikely.
Since this story broke we have seen MP after MP appear on television stating that they fully intend to pay back the money that they have claimed in ‘error’, and a lot of the time we are not talking paltry sums. This of course had me thinking, how on earth can they afford to just payback these £4,000, £10,000 and £20,000 claims, just like that? If they are that well off, then it begs two very important questions:
- Why on earth were they claiming what is, to all intents and purposes, a benefit they didn’t need?
- If they are that well off, why are they always claiming that they need a pay rise?
Of course few, if any have actually mentioned paying what they owe right away. Indeed the MacKays have offered no time frame or even given a ball park figure for what they owe. Technically he could argue that he only need pay back half as the other half was ‘within the rules’, it is also unlikely that he’ll pay back the full 8-9 years, probably just the last 4-6, most likely four as he seemed to indicate in his interview.
Meaning he will probably at most pay back £85,000, but more than likely he will make a few token payments, at which point the Commons Committee will decide he has been suitably reprimanded and put through enough, and let him off. Let’s be honest, we have no way of knowing.
MPs have made it virtually impossible to discover what they are claiming, or indeed what they are getting up to, at our expense. These revelations have only come to light due to leaks to the press; leaks that the same MPs are now trying to plug and prevent by bringing in the police. Once this furore has blown over, and the leak(s) plugged, it will be swept under the carpet and simply be a case of, ‘as you were gentlemen.’
Charlie's Space 
I know we have different points of view but I wonder if you’d post, or even just plain rip, my VOTE LIBERTY! posting…. The more we can get it out there the greater the shock to the political class will be…
I don’t think that would be something you’d be against…
I’m happy to post it,do I just copy and paste it? Won’t the counters at the polling station just consider the ballot paper spoiled?
I have been thinking along similar lines about the state of British Politics and have been considering this lot – http://juryteam.org/
A collection of independent MPs, but they let you elect the candidate first, so we don’t just have to choose from a list of cronies. My chosen candidate for the European elections didn’t make the cut unfortunately, but I may still vote for them. Also been thinking about UKIP, not because I agree with them but because Deva Kumarasiri is one of their candidates in my area, he’s the man that was sacked for saying that he’d only serve people who speak English. I have a lot of respect for his stand and his views and he’s a patriot.
Then of course there’s the BNP, who have been kind enough to send me a leaflet through the post, but not mentioned either their candidates nor their policies, just a few slogans.
So at the moment I am undecided and may well take your advice as there is no-one I am 100% behind.
Copy and paste it – anything that works for you…
Yeah, they would count it a spoiled vote because that’s what it would be – they have to count them anyway. My point would be if enough folk used the same slogan/whatever they may make a separate pile for them…
And ‘Liberty’ is plain enough and most folk would consider it a good thing so here’s hoping, basically…
Copy paste it add things you like, take points you don’t off and invite any/everybody else to do likewise… because if enough folk scrawl ‘Liberty’ they’ll have to count ’em…
Yeah, I liked the tale behind Dave Kumarasiri and was disappointed when I heard he got the sack for it – but he was going against post office policy… so much for folk who would make sure that the immigrant population couldn’t leave themselves without english or some of their community…
Who/What you vote for is entirely up to you but like I said I’d be grateful if you’d post that one. The idea is to get the Ideal of Liberty back out there and shock the political consensus out of it’s tree….
David Cameron and the Telegraph have only part facts about JULIE KIRKBRIDE M.P.
Julie Kirkbride MP has a brother, Ian Kirkbride, whose only home is the flat in Beoley Hall which Julie Kirkbride uses as her constituency home. He therefore receives benefit in kind at taxpayers expense. He is also paid for computer services out of parliamentary expenses and has no other proper job. The £50,000 claimed for an additional bedroom extension is fraudulent as the flat is not capable of extension and is a listed building. Where is the planning application? It would also be interesting to know the name of the recipient of the £2,100 `cleaning` costs for this property and any receipts. The property was purchased in 1997 for £95,000, completely refurbished at taxpayers cost and the mortgage repaid with a new one being taken out to enable further fraudulent claims to be made.
Other details of this fraud are also misrepresented. There is no flat in London. The MacKays moved into their present family home in Vincent Square in 2003 and this is a large Georgian jouse. Andre MacKay rarely visits the flat in Beoley Hall and it is certainly not the `family` home. Julie Kirkbride claims £1,300 for spouse travel to Bromsgrove and he claims £500 for spouse travel to Bracknell even though he does not live there.
Nor can there be any discipline exerted through selection committees as suggested. Kirkbride controls her constituency party through massive financial support for the Dent family at taxpayers expense. Rita Dent is the association secretary and a councillor, Kirkbride having engineered the de-selection of an `inconvenient` councillor to make way for her.
Husband Alan Dent is also a Councillor in similar circumstances and is Association Chairman. Daughter Naomi Dent has been employed as full-time nanny to Kirkbride`s son Horatio but claimed for as a secretary on parliamentary expenses. She exercises tight control through this family so any criticism of her is stifled from the outset. It is a gigantic fraudulent racket.
The double housing fraud is just the tip of the iceberg with this corrupt woman. If David Cameron does not get rid of her, his tough words will be exposed as a hollow sham.
Somebody knows her as well as I do, I was at school with her, the nasty chancer. Is Cameron stupid?
Answer-
1. Cleaning. No receipts. Recipient: Ian Kirkbride.
2. Planning Application. None. You cannot have an extra bedroom on a top floor flat in a listed building.
We all left the Tories to sit as Indpendents because of her. Is Cameron stupid? Yes.
Shabby woman who needs an indpendent against her if she lacks the decency to go.
There will be.
just seen MacKay and the big squabbleoutside his meeeting on Newsnight, He says 75% of meeting supported him, those present said 75% against. she`ll be up to the same game
i woz there. he`s a crook and liar so she must be.
Ian Kirkbride and Naomi Dent cant both be babysitters at our expense. Rent free at our expense! £556,000 over 12 years for computer advice and rent free for babysitting!!! Who does Kirkbride think she`s fooling now?
David Cameron
I don`t think so. I have written to Mr. Cameron because I was at school with Julie Kirkbride and we all knew she was a nasty chancer then with no scruples and no loyalty. She would have pretend faints to draw attention to herself and there was a lot of petty dishonesty even then. She had a Saturday job in Marks and Spencer and would steal from them regularly, a habit she is said to have continued when at Girton. I hope she has paid for the M&S clothes she wears now. She was always nasty and scheming and she has no friends from her schooldays. She has made herself rich at our expense, the police should be involved, and Mr. Cameron should make her resign now not at the election. She is a nasty person and a common thief and fraudster.
Charlie Says:
OK, it is one thing to post under different names making wild accusations but when you start answering your own comments as a different person, well that is just plain weird.
HALIFAX GIRL, Anonymous, formertorycouncillornowindependent and dfairweather, either stick to one name or just cut out the middle man and hold the conversation at home, alone.
There is a large group of us who are mainly from Bromsgrove, who have been outraged by Kirkbride and MacKay’s behaviour.
Now it appears that Kirkbride’s brother has been living in her Bromsgrove flat, rent free and actually has a business registered there. What a vile woman. She says that he is an unpaid nanny when she has an au pair. The lousy pair of scumbags have claimed for nearly their maximum amounts in most categories. Kirkbride consistently voted against any expenses reform. I wonder why? At least we now know why she wanted her address kept secret and it’s not because of the adoring local men lusting after her! Just look at MacKay and Milligan and ask yourself why ANY normal woman would want to be their partner. I see it as just a power trip and a business venture to thieve as much as possible. I, for one, will keep actively campaigning for her removal. From politics and from my home town of Bromsgrove. We don’t need the stink of corruption.
she is vile, I am not alone, and the accusations are not wild they are accurate.
Apologies Charlie, but I think you have misread the situation. dfairweather is not alone.I am a real Halifax girl, I was at school with Kirkbride, and I have written to Mr. Cameron. The fact that a small group of us post from the same office does not mean there are not others.
Kirkbride is a reprehensible individual and should go.
Charlie Says: Please don’t insult my intelligence, first it was all from Bromsgrove, now you are all from the same office? You all use the same spelling and grammar, you don’t have to be an expert to see that all the posts are written by the same person.
I have no problem with you posting, but not posting under different names and having a conversation where you validate your own points.
Charlie, I have never heard of marksanders or patch. The rest of us are a group (of 4) and not just onr but if it helps we1ll all use dfairweather`s name for the 4. Apologies if there is misunderstanding.
Charlie, I stumbled upon your comments about Julie Kirkbride and Andrew MacKay. I live in Bromsgrove and am a member of Julie Must Go! campaign. I do NOT know anyone else who has posted here and post on my home pc.
Not to worry patch, you were never included in that, nor was marksanders.
It was HALIFAX GIRL, Anonymous, formertorycouncillornowindependent and dfairweather who were all posting from the same IP address, i.e. the same PC, and answering and backing up their own points.
Thank you for your comments, it seems that every day that goes by, more is revealed about what she got up to.
Even though he is just 9!
It’s be funny if it were not us they were taking for a ride.
She’s got no hope of re-election but she should be made to repay everything, or face prison, just like anyone else would.
Well Charlie, she is going now and, to be honest, it is about time. I would have preferred however, that David Cameron withdrew the Whip, rather than allowing her to announce her intention to stand down at the next election. When something is indefensible, as a leader, it is important that you are seen to act with conviction, David Cameron failed this test, there will be others, he must not fail again.
I agree about Cameron, he had some tough words a few weeks ago but did nothing when it came to the crunch. Also his ‘respecting her decision’ hardly sends out the right message, it sounds like he is sorry to lose her.
Cameron says that the Julie Must Go! campaign is ‘not representative of the people of Bromsgrove’. So we are just ‘left wing, anonymous, political activists’? Nearly 6000 people put their names and addresses on a petition. I watched people signing. Old, young, working folk, unemployed, working parents, single mums, people on incapacity benefits – ordinary people who ARE the people of Bromsgrove. You can’t win. Cameron tells ‘ordinary’ people to get involved and then refuses to listen to us! We are left without an active MP until the next election. This crook will not show her ‘pretty’ face in Bromgrove and we are left paying her for another year, followed by resettlement money. Angry? You bet!
@ patch: I think Cameron’s response is perhaps a warning of things to come. In my view Cameron is playing a dangerous game, he is talking tough, but he is not following it through with any action. At least not where the recipients of public ire is his ‘mates’ or indeed the shadow cabinet.
I think the public need to see more of Cameron before there is an election, because based on his first test of strength, integrity and commitment, he has, in my view at least, failed miserably.
Alan Dent Chair of Bromsgrove Conservative Association on Radio Hereford and Worcester at 8am said that the Julie Must GO NOW! Petition is a “RESPECT Party petition”. He also said that “Julie will not stand down” … strange as we all thought she had ‘stood down’ on Thursday!
Alan Dent did confirm that his wife Rita was paid as constituency secretary by Parliaments Fees office and that his daughter used to work for Julie Kirkbride as a ‘nanny’.
Mr Dent said ‘Julie will stay in office until the Prime Minister Calls a General Election” and he blamed an ‘unprecedented media campaign’ and ‘outside activists’ attacking an ‘excellent constituency MP’.
What a disgusting man this Alan Dent is! Does he honestly expect us to believe that the Respect Party has nearly 6000 members in the sleepy little town of Bromsgrove? I have written twice to Mr Dent and he doesn’t even have the decency to reply. He is bringing the Conservative Association in Bromsgrove into disrepute. His family income depends on Julie Kirkbride. After all, turkeys would hardly vote for Christmas! I have complained to David Cameron about Mr Dent’s behaviour and wild claims. Again, no reply. I live in Bromsgrove and have hardly come across a single person who does support Julie ‘Look At Me’ Kirkbride.
Patch, you are quite right. The scandal, not yet exposed in the press, is that Naomi Dent was employed as nanny but claimed for as a secretary, a procedure which is both illegal and fraudulent. Alan Dent is a disgraceful man and is not capable of replying to your letters due to a low level of literacy. The Dent family is the mechanism through whick Kirkbride controls the tory association, having discredited several tory councillors who now sit as independents and replaced them with the likes of Rita Dent, who in addition to her council expenses is also paid at public expense by Kirkbride. There is also a very pertinent description of Kirkbride on Charlie`s latest posting. Kirkbride is obviously totally corrupt and personally obnoxious, with some very serious and disturbing personality flaws. She will attempt to discredit the Julie Must Go campaign even though the few left wing nutters who are involved are not representative of the thousands who signed. I hope their emphasis switches to Julie Must Go NOW in order to prevent this diabolical woman from walking away with even more loot and ill-gotten gains. The exposure of the Dent family should help the process. George Lord, tory county council leader and also district councillor, is quoted in the press as saying that Kirkbride`s continued presence is not helpful. The Dent family are part of the plot and are paid at our expense to keep the tories in Bromsgrove mellow for Kirkbride by controlling the office and administration through Rita Dent, and the structure through Alan Dent. Your description of Julie Look At Me Kirkbride sums up at least part of the problem.
Patch, remember also that MacKays expenses have not yet been fully looked at, and nor have Kirkbride`s. It would be interesting to know who the recipients of MacKays parliamentary allowances were and are, names and amounts.
I had suspected that Naomi Dent was employed, as you say, as a nanny but paid for as a secretary. Is there any way to prove this? I have written to several newspapers but nobody has picked up this story. Although I am fairly new to Bromsgrove, I have already discovered that Kirkbride controls the Conservative Association and wonder what else she controls. I suspect she has many other ‘hidden’ forms of income.
I agree there are a few ‘nutters’ who are doing the campaign no favours. When is Rita Dent facing a vote again as she must be removed from the council?
Freedom Of Information access is the only way unless Naomi Dent is interviewed. As with MacKay, Kirkbride`s parliamentary allowance will be paid to specific people for specific roles. These need to be in the rules and do not of course include nannies. A list of names paid by both MacKay and Kirkbride would be interesting to say the least. Other `income` will include `expenses` paid by other organisations. Of known interest is the interparliamentary union, one of many which Kirkbride/MacKay have abused. First class tickets have been traded in for economy to enable MacKay to travel free when Kirkbride has been invited, and vice-versa. A recent trip to Kenya was reported in the press on this basis. Kirkbride`s mother Barbara, who lives in Cirencester is also paid on expenses but not allowances. She travelled free of charge on a South Pacific tour with Kirkbride on an interparliamentary union visit which also covered lavish visits paid for by the individual island governments visits. She totally controls the Conservative Association, largely through the Dent family and a few strategically placed individuals, mostly dopey old middle-class women. Cllr Lord is reported as having serious doubts about Kirkbride`s presence and the domination of the Dent family. Dent will be up for election at the next district council elections but she ought to go now as part of a clean-out process following the fraudulent activities of Kirkbride. There is much more attached to all this than has so far come out.
Thanks for that. I did expect that the information so far is only the tip of the iceberg. The Dent family may decide to bale out now that they are about to lose their controller! Sound like bunch of parasites to me. Interesting that Kirkbride’s mother is fit enough to go on travel sprees since much was made of Ian Kirkbride’s ‘devotion looking after their elderly,frail mother’. Naomi’s job as nanny/secretary was some years ago so I am not sure if those details will be made public???