Julie Kirkbride
Encyclopedia
Julie Kirkbride is a British former politician. She was the Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
for the Conservative stronghold of Bromsgrove
from 1997
until 2010
(now owned by Nestlé
). She went to the Highlands School (now North Halifax Grammar School
) in Illingworth
, Halifax. She studied at Girton College
, Cambridge
from 1978–81, receiving a MA in Economics and History, and serving as vice-president of the Cambridge Union Society
in 1981. From 1981-2, she worked as a journalist for the Parliamentary Weekly House Magazine. She went to the Graduate School of Journalism of the University of California Berkeley
from 1982-3. She was researcher for Yorkshire Television
from 1983-6, then a producer for BBC News and Current Affairs
from 1986-9, then worked as a producer at the ITN Parliamentary Unit from 1989-92. She was the political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph
from 1992-6 and social affairs editor of The Sunday Telegraph from 1996 until 1997.
Kirkbride was elected MP of Bromsgrove
, a seat which had consistently been Conservative since the 1970s. She was re-elected in 2001 election
and 2005 election
with over 50 percent of votes.
Julie Kirkbride was the Conservative spokesman on Culture, Media and Sport
from 2003 to 2004, but was replaced in a reshuffle by the party leader at that time, Michael Howard
.
On 10 November 2006, it was revealed that she had previously undisclosed links with the Midlands Industrial Council, which has donated millions of pounds to the Conservative Party
.
She stood down as a Member of Parliament prior to the 2010 general election, as a result of public anger over her expenses claims.
, resigned from his position as parliamentary aide to David Cameron
, in the wake of the furore over Parliamentary expenses after what was described as an "unacceptable" expenses claim.
MacKay and Kirkbride own two homes: one in her constituency of Bromsgrove; and a flat close to Parliament in Westminster
. In a case of so called double-dipping
, according to The Daily Telegraph
, Mackay had used his Additional Costs Allowance to claim more than £1,000 a month in mortgage interest payments on their joint Westminster flat – even though he did not have a residence in his Bracknell constituency – while Kirkbride used her Additional Costs Allowance to claim over £900 a month on paying off the mortgage
for their family home near her constituency. "This means," reports The Daily Telegraph, "they effectively had no main home but two second homes – and were using public funds to pay for both of them". In 2008/9, MacKay claimed a total of £23,083 under Additional Costs Allowance, while Kirkbride claimed £22,575. They also claimed for each other's travel costs, with Kirkbride claiming £1,392 to meet spouse travel, while MacKay claimed £408.
Julie Kirkbride employs her sister at taxpayers' expense as her secretary despite her sister living 140 miles from the constituency. Kirkbride also extended her mortgage to pay for a £50,000 extension to her house, which she said was to provide a separate bedroom for her son, and claimed for this on expenses. She said she allowed her brother to live rent free in her house some of the time so that he could care for her son, Angus, while she undertook constituency work in the evening. Kirkbridge also suggested that criticism of her expense claims could deter women from entering Parliament.
On 28 May 2009 Kirkbride cancelled a meeting in her Bromsgrove constituency to discuss the expense claims, and news was announced that owing to public and press criticism of her expense claims, she intended to stand down at the next election. In a letter to Cameron, she said, "My principal concern has to be for my very loyal local supporters in Bromsgrove whose trust in me has been very humbling in the last few weeks ... I also must take into account the effects on my family." A petition
in the Bromsgrove constituency demanding Kirkbride's resignation
had amassed over 5,000 signatures. Kirkbride also lost the trust of Tory activists: the results of a poll on the ConservativeHome website
showed that 81% of those responding (a self-selecting sample) thought Kirkbride should go and only 6% that she should remain as a Conservative MP. Shortly before her decision to stand down, she had stated that it never crossed her mind that she was doing anything wrong; however, she was also quoted as saying that it was "hugely upsetting to realise I have let people down".
On 5 November, she reversed her decision, telling a meeting of the Executive Council of Bromsgrove Conservative Association that she wanted to be considered as their candidate for the next general election. On 18 December she announced she would indeed stand down, in a Christmas and New Year message on her website saying "this is entirely my decision".
The Legg review of MPs expenses declared that Kirkbride had to pay back £29,243 in wrongly claimed expenses, the fifth highest total of all MPs. Kirkbride's husband Andrew MacKay had to pay back £31,193, ranking third. Both MPs had paid back the amount in full by the time of the release of the report on 4 February 2010. Kirkbride was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs expense details secret.
before his death by auto-erotic asphyxiation in 1994. In August 1997, she married Andrew MacKay MP, the Conservative Member for Bracknell
, and they have a son (born October 2000).
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Conservative stronghold of Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove (UK Parliament constituency)
Bromsgrove is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system...
from 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
until 2010
Early life
Her father was a lorry driver, who died when she was seven. Her mother was a secretary at Rowntree MackintoshRowntree's
Rowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand owned by Nestlé, used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by Rowntree's. Following a merger with John Mackintosh & Co., the Company became known as Rowntree Mackintosh, was listed on...
(now owned by Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
). She went to the Highlands School (now North Halifax Grammar School
North Halifax Grammar School
The North Halifax Grammar School is a grammar school, specialist science college and specialist languages college in Illingworth, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the east of Illingworth, towards Holmfield and Holdsworth...
) in Illingworth
Illingworth, West Yorkshire
Illingworth is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England.It is situated north-west of Halifax.The village of Illingworth has competitive sports teams within the area including Crossleys Juniors , Illingworth C.C. and Illingworth A.R.L.F.C...
, Halifax. She studied at Girton College
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
from 1978–81, receiving a MA in Economics and History, and serving as vice-president of the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
in 1981. From 1981-2, she worked as a journalist for the Parliamentary Weekly House Magazine. She went to the Graduate School of Journalism of the University of California Berkeley
UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
The UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism is a graduate professional school on the campus of University of California, Berkeley. It is among the top graduate journalism schools in the United States, and is designed to produce journalists with a two-year Master of Journalism degree.The program...
from 1982-3. She was researcher for Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
from 1983-6, then a producer for BBC News and Current Affairs
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
from 1986-9, then worked as a producer at the ITN Parliamentary Unit from 1989-92. She was the political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
from 1992-6 and social affairs editor of The Sunday Telegraph from 1996 until 1997.
Parliamentary career
In 1997 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
Kirkbride was elected MP of Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove (UK Parliament constituency)
Bromsgrove is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system...
, a seat which had consistently been Conservative since the 1970s. She was re-elected in 2001 election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and 2005 election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
with over 50 percent of votes.
Julie Kirkbride was the Conservative spokesman on Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
from 2003 to 2004, but was replaced in a reshuffle by the party leader at that time, Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
.
On 10 November 2006, it was revealed that she had previously undisclosed links with the Midlands Industrial Council, which has donated millions of pounds to the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
She stood down as a Member of Parliament prior to the 2010 general election, as a result of public anger over her expenses claims.
Expenses claims
On 14 May 2009, her husband Andrew MacKay, the Conservative Member for BracknellBracknell (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
, resigned from his position as parliamentary aide to David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, in the wake of the furore over Parliamentary expenses after what was described as an "unacceptable" expenses claim.
MacKay and Kirkbride own two homes: one in her constituency of Bromsgrove; and a flat close to Parliament in Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
. In a case of so called double-dipping
United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
, according to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, Mackay had used his Additional Costs Allowance to claim more than £1,000 a month in mortgage interest payments on their joint Westminster flat – even though he did not have a residence in his Bracknell constituency – while Kirkbride used her Additional Costs Allowance to claim over £900 a month on paying off the mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
for their family home near her constituency. "This means," reports The Daily Telegraph, "they effectively had no main home but two second homes – and were using public funds to pay for both of them". In 2008/9, MacKay claimed a total of £23,083 under Additional Costs Allowance, while Kirkbride claimed £22,575. They also claimed for each other's travel costs, with Kirkbride claiming £1,392 to meet spouse travel, while MacKay claimed £408.
Julie Kirkbride employs her sister at taxpayers' expense as her secretary despite her sister living 140 miles from the constituency. Kirkbride also extended her mortgage to pay for a £50,000 extension to her house, which she said was to provide a separate bedroom for her son, and claimed for this on expenses. She said she allowed her brother to live rent free in her house some of the time so that he could care for her son, Angus, while she undertook constituency work in the evening. Kirkbridge also suggested that criticism of her expense claims could deter women from entering Parliament.
On 28 May 2009 Kirkbride cancelled a meeting in her Bromsgrove constituency to discuss the expense claims, and news was announced that owing to public and press criticism of her expense claims, she intended to stand down at the next election. In a letter to Cameron, she said, "My principal concern has to be for my very loyal local supporters in Bromsgrove whose trust in me has been very humbling in the last few weeks ... I also must take into account the effects on my family." A petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
in the Bromsgrove constituency demanding Kirkbride's resignation
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
had amassed over 5,000 signatures. Kirkbride also lost the trust of Tory activists: the results of a poll on the ConservativeHome website
ConservativeHome
Conservative Home is a British political website started by Tim Montgomerie prior to the 2005 United Kingdom general election campaign, that aims to represent UK grassroots Conservative opinion.-Editors:...
showed that 81% of those responding (a self-selecting sample) thought Kirkbride should go and only 6% that she should remain as a Conservative MP. Shortly before her decision to stand down, she had stated that it never crossed her mind that she was doing anything wrong; however, she was also quoted as saying that it was "hugely upsetting to realise I have let people down".
On 5 November, she reversed her decision, telling a meeting of the Executive Council of Bromsgrove Conservative Association that she wanted to be considered as their candidate for the next general election. On 18 December she announced she would indeed stand down, in a Christmas and New Year message on her website saying "this is entirely my decision".
The Legg review of MPs expenses declared that Kirkbride had to pay back £29,243 in wrongly claimed expenses, the fifth highest total of all MPs. Kirkbride's husband Andrew MacKay had to pay back £31,193, ranking third. Both MPs had paid back the amount in full by the time of the release of the report on 4 February 2010. Kirkbride was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs expense details secret.
Personal life
She was engaged to Conservative MP Stephen MilliganStephen Milligan
Stephen David Wyatt Milligan was a British Conservative politician and journalist. He held a number of senior journalistic posts until his election to serve as Member of Parliament for Eastleigh in 1992...
before his death by auto-erotic asphyxiation in 1994. In August 1997, she married Andrew MacKay MP, the Conservative Member for Bracknell
Bracknell (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
, and they have a son (born October 2000).
External links
- Julie Kirkbride Official website
- Bromsgrove Conservatives
- Profile: Julie Kirkbride BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 21 October 2002 - The Page 3 Debate, BBC News, 14 January 2003
- Interview: Julie Kirkbride, Ben Davies, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 4 October 2004 - West Midlands: Industrial dosh..., Nick Watson, The Politics Show at BBC News, 10 November 2006