4. Extract from article in getbracknell
newspaper, 14 May 2009
Andrew Mackay: 1 don't have a Bracknell constituency
home
Bracknell MP Andrew Mackay does not have a home in
his constituency, he confirmed today.
"No I don't have a home in the constituency,
that's the whole point. And I've never claimed that I have, that's
a matter of public record," he said.
"Most Fridays and Saturdays I'm here doing
walkabouts and meeting constituents and during recess I try to
spend as much time as I physically can here,"
he exclusively told the Bracknell
Forest Standard and getbracknell.
Mr MacKay has been MP for Bracknell for 25 years.
He made the admission after he sensationally quit
as parliamentary aide to Tory boss David Cameron this morning
over "unacceptable"
second-home expenses claims.
Mr MacKay, who is married to fellow Tory MP Julie
Kirkbride, claimed mortgage interest on their London home while
she did the same on their constituency house in the West Midlands.
This meant the couple effectively had no main home but were claiming
for two second properties, funded by the taxpayer. He said: "As
senior adviser to David Cameron who has been involved with the
very tough work we've been doing with MP's expenses, I was one
of the first to volunteer to submit my claims and receipts to
internal party examiners yesterday immediately after I spoke to
you.
"They came back very late last night to say
that they felt my claim was not within the bounds of what would
be considered reasonable.
"Very early this morning I had a phone conversation
with David Cameron where I said I wished to resign from the job,
he said he thought that was the right thing to do.
"Since then I have been inundated with supportive
e-mails and calls. I feel that this judgement is something that
lets people down, but I'm grateful from the support from my constituents
it's been truly heart-warming.
"Julie and I, we have a family home near
the House of Commons and a family home near Bromsgrove where our
family has been brought up and we have family and friends.
"The Fee Commission told us this was all
right and as far as I was concerned, I was doing what I was advised
to do.
"Yesterday I told you in completely good
faith that I was confident in my expenses, that regarded all the
items and receipts and I had claimed for over the last four years.
"What I didn't look at or think about was
whether it was an unreasonable claim on our house. I intend to
pay the money back of the amount decided by the Commission."
14 May 2009
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