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Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay
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Andrew MacKay: Julie Kirkbride was victim of media witch hunt

By Lorna Catling
May 29, 2009

Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay said his wife Julie Kirkbride was forced to stand down because of a vicious media witch hunt.

Ms Kirkbride, Bromsgrove MP, bowed to public pressure yesterday and announced she would not stand at the next general election.

The couple sparked public outcry when it emerged they had been claiming second home allowances on the two houses they own.

Speaking exclusively to getbracknell and the Bracknell Forest Standard for the first time since he announced he would step down at the next general election, Mr MacKay said: “Our first thoughts were for our little eight year old boy Angus.

“Julie has been hounded out by a rather vicious national media campaign.

"She has very publicly accounted for herself and has no reason to go but the pressure became unbearable yesterday.

“It was a witch hunt.”

Ms Kirkbride faced more damning headlines this week when it was reported she paid her sister, who lives 140 miles away from her constituency, £12,000 to be her secretary.

She also let her brother live rent free in their apartment, which was paid for by taxpayers.

Her announcement comes just one week after Mr MacKay said he would not stand for re-election.

He said: “Obviously I am very disappointed, representing Bracknell has been my life’s work.

“I have enjoyed it enormously, it has been a great privilege and fun.

“I will carry on as normal until the next general election working for Bracknell, just this week I have still be dealing with routine matters and that will continue.”

- Getbracknell was the only multi-media organisation allowed to film the meeting Mr MacKay had with his constituents last Friday.

Have a look at what happned here.

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Not a witch hunt Andrew.There are people losing their homes all over the country and you two have fiddled a very cosy life.You should both go to prison.The tories the party of morals and values ?.good riddance to both of you.

Garys
01/06/2009 at 16:12

All of these 'challenged' MPs just don't get it do they? They have behaved so appallingly, yet seem so surprised that the public has the temerity to challenge what they believe is their right to vast amounts of our money!

It has nothing to do with 'vicious media witch hunts'. Despite their protestations of 'genuine errors' and 'I've done nothing wrong within the rules', the MPs involved were fully aware of their actions but chose to continue this long term defrauding of taxpayers money - until they were found out.

That their claims were within the 'Green Book' rules is a nonsense. The Green Book was written by MPs, for MPs. Shame on them.

Andrew Mackay was indeed an excellent MP. And for that reason, I and many others feel sorry that his career has come to such a sad end. But all the good he has done in the past has unfortunately been washed away by his, and indeed his wife's, very deep involvement in the expenses scandal. He has lost the trust of the majority of his constituents, and let's not forget - also of David Cameron, who stated that Andrew MacKay's was one of the most serious cases. A very sad end.

JS Crowthorne