Julie Kirkbride: unfit to be an MP but may stand anyway

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

The Bromsgrove Advertiser is reporting that Julie Kirkbride, the Tory MP who announced she would step down at the next election following revelations over her expenses, is reconsidering her decision.

The Daily Telegraph has reported that Miss Kirkbride has been given a lifeline by her constituency party as a 3,300 name petition against her put together in the constituency is “seriously flawed”. The Telegraph says many of the signatories to the original petition live outside the constituency, some have signed more than once, and some signatures are said to be children’s.

Bromsgrove is still yet to select a new candidate, which is increasing speculation in the area and local Conservative party that Kirkbride will stand again.

Alan Dent, chairman of the Conservative Association, said: “We are currently analysing the signatures to the petition and will produce a detailed breakdown when completed. Initial analysis shows the petition to contain far less signatures that the Respect Party reported on Sky News, and many people had signed it numerous times.”

The news will trouble David Cameron, who will have to think again about his party’s relationship with the Bromsgrove MP and others caught up in the expenses scandal.

Julie Kirkbride had claimed £50,000 of taxpayers’ money to pay for an extension to her second home so that her brother could live there. Along with her husband Andrew McKay, she claimed a total of £170,000 in expenses for second homes – covering both their properties – over the past four years.

In May, the Mirror said that Kirkbride was “not fit to be an MP”.