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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| MP couple told to repay £60,000 | MP couple told to repay £60,000 |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Husband and wife MPs Andrew MacKay and Julie Kirkbride have been told to repay more than £60,000 of expenses claimed for second homes. | Husband and wife MPs Andrew MacKay and Julie Kirkbride have been told to repay more than £60,000 of expenses claimed for second homes. |
| Mr MacKay, the Conservative MP for Bracknell, has been asked to repay £31,193. His wife, the Tory MP for Bromsgrove, was asked to pay £29,243. | Mr MacKay, the Conservative MP for Bracknell, has been asked to repay £31,193. His wife, the Tory MP for Bromsgrove, was asked to pay £29,243. |
| Ms Kirkbride claimed thousands of pounds in expenses for their family home in her constituency. | Ms Kirkbride claimed thousands of pounds in expenses for their family home in her constituency. |
| Mr MacKay claimed on the property they shared in London. | Mr MacKay claimed on the property they shared in London. |
| An appeal by the pair was thrown out during Sir Thomas Legg's review of MPs' expenses. | An appeal by the pair was thrown out during Sir Thomas Legg's review of MPs' expenses. |
| Sir Thomas ruled that the arrangements "obtained a financial benefit for the couple which appears unintended under the Green Book rules, and as such contrary to the principles governing it". | Sir Thomas ruled that the arrangements "obtained a financial benefit for the couple which appears unintended under the Green Book rules, and as such contrary to the principles governing it". |
| Standing down | Standing down |
| He added: "You say that the way in which you and your wife designated your homes was in accordance with advice given by the fees office. | He added: "You say that the way in which you and your wife designated your homes was in accordance with advice given by the fees office. |
| Constituents in Bracknell give their views on the MPs' expenses row | |
| "If so it seems to me that the advice was plainly mistaken, and indeed that you should have recognised it to be mistaken." | "If so it seems to me that the advice was plainly mistaken, and indeed that you should have recognised it to be mistaken." |
| Mr MacKay and Ms Kirkbride were each overpaid £29,243 under their second home allowances. | Mr MacKay and Ms Kirkbride were each overpaid £29,243 under their second home allowances. |
| Mr MacKay also exceeded the cleaning allowance by £1,950. | Mr MacKay also exceeded the cleaning allowance by £1,950. |
| Both have repaid the amounts in full. | Both have repaid the amounts in full. |
| Sir Thomas also asked Ms Kirkbride to repay £2,584.26 of mortgage interest on an extension built so her brother could provide childcare, but this was overturned on appeal. | Sir Thomas also asked Ms Kirkbride to repay £2,584.26 of mortgage interest on an extension built so her brother could provide childcare, but this was overturned on appeal. |
| The couple previously said they would stand down at the General Election. | The couple previously said they would stand down at the General Election. |
| Some MPs say the way Sir Thomas carried out the audit was "sloppy" and £180,000 was cut off the total he ruled should be paid back after appeals. | Some MPs say the way Sir Thomas carried out the audit was "sloppy" and £180,000 was cut off the total he ruled should be paid back after appeals. |