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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tory MP quits post over expenses | Tory MP quits post over expenses |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Conservative MP Andrew MacKay has quit as parliamentary aide to David Cameron over what the party said was an "unacceptable" expenses claim. | Conservative MP Andrew MacKay has quit as parliamentary aide to David Cameron over what the party said was an "unacceptable" expenses claim. |
| Mr Cameron has said all Tory MPs must be able to defend their allowance claims after a series of damaging allegations about MP's claims. | Mr Cameron has said all Tory MPs must be able to defend their allowance claims after a series of damaging allegations about MP's claims. |
| Several senior Tory figures, including Michael Gove and Alan Duncan, have agreed to repay money they claimed. | Several senior Tory figures, including Michael Gove and Alan Duncan, have agreed to repay money they claimed. |
| Mr MacKay, MP for Bracknell, is married to fellow Tory MP Julie Kirkbride. | |
| 'Unacceptable' | |
| The Conservatives said Mr MacKay had voluntarily submitted his expense claims to party officials and these had revealed "an unacceptable situation that would not stand up to reasonable public scrutiny". | |
| It is understood that Mr MacKay and his wife claimed second homes allowances on two separate properties. | |
| "Although Mr MacKay maintains that those arrangements were agreed by the Fees Office, he resigned this morning with immediate effect," said a party spokesman. | |
| The party said Mr MacKay had agreed to appear before a new committee, announced by Mr Cameron on Tuesday, set up to scrutinise MP's expense claims. | |
| It said the panel would discuss "how much of the allowance should be paid back". | |
| The BBC's political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said Mr MacKay was paying a heavy price for the public backlash against MPs' behaviour over their expenses and the strong action party leaders were now taking over the issue. | |
| Former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit said Mr MacKay was a "good guy" but said he had done the "right thing" in stepping down given the nature of the situation. | |
| "It ain't right," he said of the claims details. "I am glad he has recognised it is so." |