Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride employs sister 100 miles away
Mr Kirkbride, aged 59, bought a digital camera, five memory cards, four internet routers, three external hard drives, a computer printer, map software and a battery. The items, which totalled £1,000.52, were delivered to him at Ms Kirkbride’s Redditch flat between March 2005 and October 2007.
He works as an IT consultant from the property, which is near her Bromsgrove constituency. She claims he also lives there to help care for her eight-year-old son, Angus.
Almost 1,000 people have joined a campaign to force Ms Kirkbride out of office.
The Julie Must Go! campaign has almost 1,000 members on its Facebook site and plans a rally in Bromsgrove on Sunday – which it has invited Ms Kirkbride to attend.
In a letter to party activists, Ms Kirkbride said she was “devastated by recent events” but blamed House of Commons rules for the controversy.
She said: “We had felt our expenses would not be queried and that, whilst the antiquated system is obviously in need of wholesale reform, we had claimed correctly.
“Clearly, part of our problem is as a married couple where the rules for MPs allowances are not clear.”
She has received the support of her local party chairman, Alan Dent, who said in a message to Conservative Party members: “Never before in Bromsgrove has it been more important for us all to unite behind our MP Julie Kirkbride.
“She is, as you all know, an extremely compassionate, hard-working person who has used her talents to assist so many people in our community and for the benefit of Bromsgrove.”
Louise Marnell, chair of the Julie Must Go! campaign, said: “What we want is simple – we want Julie to resign and for an immediate by-election.
“If Julie is convinced she has done nothing wrong and still has the support of the majority of her constituents then let the people decide.”
After the public rally, campaigners will present the petition to the Bromsgrove Conservative Association on June 1.
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