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Shamed: Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay
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MacKay expenses could have paid for six teachers

By Lorna Catling and Mike Pyle
May 21, 2009

Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay's total exepnses claims could have paid for six secondary school teacher, it has emerged.

Taxpayers forked out more than £140,000 to pay for the Tory MP's expenses claims - equivalent to the average salary of six newly qualified secondary school teachers for a year.

Mr MacKay was forced to resign as parliamentary aide to Tory leader David Cameron after the scandal of his claims came out last week.

He has since apoligised for the claims and set up a meeting with his constituents but has refused to stand down as an MP.

Mr MacKay came under fire when it emerged he and his wife, fellow Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, both claimed for second home allowance when in fact they share two homes.

He claimed second home allowance for the couple's London house but did not have a constituency home in Bracknell.

Meanwhile Ms Kirkbride claimed second home allowance for her constituency home in Bromsgrove.

Apart from the second home allowance, Mr MacKay also claimed:

- £50 for goblets;

- £2,740 in cleaning cost for his London home;

- £1,500 for reglazing his conservatory;

- £69 for a bin;

- £32 for two tumblers.

In total the couple claimed £282,731 in expenses since 2001.

The cash could have paid for a three-bedroom family home at Jennett's Park developemt in Bracknell or for a school sanitation block for 150 children in India through charity Water Aid.

- Mr MacKay will face his constituents at a meeting tomorrow night.

The meeting will be held at the Kerith Centre in Church Road in Bracknell at 7pm.

The meeting is only open to constituents who are on the electoral roll and who have booked a ticket in advance.

Mr MacKay said the evening was ticket-only for health and safety reasons.

For tickets please call (01344) 868286 or email bracknellca@tory.org.

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Having needed help when my family were made homeless Andrew MacKay not only replied to my correspondence within 2-3 days of receipt, he also telephoned me at home on a number of occasions to see whether I had been accommodated. He was the reason I managed to finally get a home for my children and made sure that the local authority knew what they had to do and when they should be doing it. I think he is more than worth whatever they pay him and he didn't claim for bath plugs like some MPs. At the end of the day if the rules are that is what you are allowed to claim how is it his fault for claiming within those rules. I think Andrew MacKay is a great MP who stands up for our local issues, unlike some of the MPs who are only interest in grabbing headlines.

Mrs L Warner,Priestwood, Priestwood, Bracknell
22/05/2009 at 21:01

Jeff - Just how many ID's are the UKIP posting comments under?

Sandyandy, Warfield
22/05/2009 at 14:30

Resigned as an Aide !!!

Empty gesture which has no effect on his income or life as an MP !!!!

At least Gorballs Mick has had the decency to resign both from the favor post of speaker AND as an MP

MacKay, Get some balls and resign as an MP

A Wellwisher
22/05/2009 at 07:35

Wheelie-bin this has-been who has lost the trust of the majority of Bracknell people. MPs who are part of a system that oppress us with draconian laws in the name on multiculturalism, national security, elfnsaftey and relative moralism have been exposed as taking advantage of their own rules to line their own pockets at our expense. Mr MacKay has had his time. Go now.