'I have no wish to be represented by a thief'
Hundreds of angry constituents confront Andrew MacKay over his expenses – but he refuses to stand down as their MP
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Independent Minds
Andrew Mackay's future as an MP was in serious doubt last night when the disgraced Conservative member for Bracknell faced repeated calls for his resignation at a packed constituency meeting.
In front of more than 300 residents in a local church hall, the former senior parliamentary adviser to David Cameron said that he would stand down at the next election and put himself up for reselection by his local constituency party. But the move failed to placate a crowd angry at recent revelations about his expenses claims, who heckled him with cries of "resign" and "give it back, give it back".
Mr Mackay resigned from his post as Mr Cameron's adviser on Thursday after it emerged that he and his wife, the MP Julie Kirkbride, had alternately delegated the two properties they share together as their first and second homes, and were using public funds to pay for them both.
In the last financial year Mr MacKay claimed a total of £23,083 under the additional costs allowance, while Miss Kirkbride claimed £22,575. They also submitted a combined total of almost £1,800 in spouse travel costs.
At the meeting a visibly uncomfortable Mr Mackay admitted: "I made a serious error of judgement. I should have looked at it more carefully. I should have said, 'Does this stand the test of reasonableness?', and I didn't. If I had done you wouldn't be here tonight, and that's why I resigned as David Cameron's adviser."
During the 90-minute discussion, few questions were asked by those present. One constituent told him to resign while another commented: "I've no wish to be represented in the next parliament by a thief." One constituent simply called him a "thieving toad".
In response to repeated requests to pay the money back, Mr Mackay said: "I have to wait for the scrutiny panel to tell me if I have to pay any money back, and if so, how much. But I will pay back whatever they recommend." When faced with audience members quoting the guidelines in the Green Book on expenses and accusing him of flagrantly disregarding them, Mr Mackay replied: "It hadn't occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong, but I now accept that it doesn't look right. I have accepted that completely." Eventually he refused to take any more questions on the issue.
During the meeting one supporter, Tony Pudner, who runs a centre for children with learning difficulties, called Mr Mackay "a good MP" and praised him for his work in the constituency. Another audience member agreed, but added: "This has tainted your entire 26 years. You will have to stand down. You are not capable of doing it any more."
Retired facilities manager Jean Searle told him: "I feel really angry – all that you've done has been wiped away." When he gave no indication that he would be certain to stand down, another commented: "I don't think I can vote Conservative if you're running for office. You've ruined our constituency."
Reverend David Osborn, the former Rector of Bracknell who chaired the event, thanked the audience for expressing themselves "so articulately with so much passion and feeling".
In another meeting last night Patrick McLoughlin, the Conservative chief whip and MP for West Derbyshire, also faced down his critics at a church hall in Ashbourne.
Mr McLoughlin – appointed by David Cameron to lead the scrutiny of all Tory MPs' expenses – said he felt as "sick as a dog" when looking into the claims of some of his colleagues. The audience seemed particularly incensed by the behaviour of Anthony Steen, the Tory MP for Totnes in Devon who yesterday said that the anger directed at his claims was motivated by jealousy at the size of his house. Mr McLoughlin said that Mr Steen's actions had been "stupid, ridiculous and beyond belief".
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Comments
Those MP's who had previously had their behaviour bought into question may already have been before the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Sir Gordon Downey, Elizabeth Filkin, Sir Philip Mawer, John Lyon have investigated a number of MP's and Ministers since Sir Geoge was appointed in 1995.
After more than a decade of such investigations, many of which made headline news, it is astonishing that MPs display surprise when questioned about their conduct. For those not sure of what could be a legitimate claim and what would not be so considered "The Green Book: a guide to members allowances" ;
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/uplo
was readily available on the internet for them to peruse at their leisure. It even has a foreword by The Speaker!
For any MP's still confused, here is the link to the House of Commons Code of Conduct
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p
It includes specific references to selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Anthony Steen would have been fully aware of the Parliamentary Commissioner, The Green Book and the Code of Conduct. As a qualified barrister he would have had no trouble reading and understanding them, or seeking specialist advice if he did not.
Yet when his conduct is bought into question, when he is caught with his hand in the till, he lashes out in fury and blames his critics, the most immature defence imaginable and not worthy of an errant school child. His manner matches that of Margaret Becket, publicly scorned and booed, who also refused to accept the consequences of her actions.
The arrogance of these typical members of "The Political Class" is very informative, and goes a long way to exposing their sense of entitlement and lack of the standards by which the public conduct their own affairs. There will be no resolution to this political crisis until such individuals are removed from office.
When the turn out is as low as 12.5% in some elections the UK is not longer a democracy but something else (the name of which I do not know) where any election can be wildly influenced by any cabal willing and able to put in the effort
The writing was on the wall when Thatcher was able to repudiate her own signature on the Maastricht treaty and no-one in the Tory party was prepared to think or say that she had gone completely ga-ga.
As for Labour, their only renowned ability has been that of stabbing each other in the back, for which they are justly famous, and still their faithful ask no questions.
NO if you want a surprise, let's have a law where their is a chunky fine for not voting and a period of imprisonment for voting illegally.
Here I just picked another one for your heath. There is a price tag but then your health is all I care. The Gap reports a big drop in profits while Campbell soup comes up a little light on revenue. Go for Knorr KNORR is the largest brand of the Unilever company. Find out more about Unilever
here. Copyright © 2004 Unilever. All rights reserved. ...
www.knorr.com/
The evils or the devil of the brand name is self-paying in the end and later the closing of the business. The brand name sell will fail as China and India copy, pirate and make cheaper things, soups and DVDs that can hold 5000 films.
I agree to lots of what they say but I understand little I agree all and disagree to all.
I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla
But if they think declaring themselves as not guilty of this charge then they are still missing the point. We want MPs to do what we the people want them to do and not what some abhorent little Hitler wannabe wants them to do. Toeing the party line is not what we want.
I was wondering; what other 'accounts' are allocated to MPs that are not under scrutiny like 'expenses'?
But you are still right - 'all it takes for evil to prevail is for an honest man to stand by and do nothing'
As for being near suicide - I am shocked that it takes so little. These MPs are not a robust lot are they? Weak in every department it would seem except in how to spin a porky and avoid answering a question directly.
As said Edmund Burke, the Irish philosopher, one of the more acceptable conservative politicians I am told?
Well, I said in my last post that my MP, Mark Todd, seems to be clean up until this point in time, this point in time has arrived for him, I notice tonight in our local rag that he is coming under scrutiny, I do know however he said in early 2007 that he wasn't standing at the next G/E, which he repeated when interviewed this week, so, I wonder if discrepancy will be found in his account? that knowing he was not going to stand next time around pushed him to say "blow it, go for gold?" I sincerely hope not for he seems a genuine guy. however, as we have seen recently, it isn't only the "nasties" that are guilty, many others seem to have boarded the gravy train at one station or another...
Your comment concerning suicide came home to me tonight when watching the news, seeing McKay telling the interviewer that he was standing down before the next G/E, he looked very rough having gone through his constituency surgery, his constituents were calling for his blood to put it mildly, also,considering his wife to is involved in the expenses debacle, the thought of suicide crossed my mind, you are of course right however, they are not robust at all which to me points to a weak character, not being able to face up to ones responsibilities, that is what comes of not living in the real world for so long, its quite a shock when the pigeons all come home to roost at once.
So he admits he did not realize it was wrong when he claimed but rather than pay the entire wrongly taken monies back he is hoping the scrutiny committee might not require it all back !!
So, like Beamy Blears he seems to have very selective hearing.
Trouble through this is that all that has happened is he true character of these people has emerged and become apparent to everybody. This is not a Press manufactured story, not exaggerated by over enthusiastic reporters - the facts have spoken for themselves and the public is not happy. Changing e.g. reporting styles or claiming "enough is enough" or that MPs are potentially suicidal does not change anything. they wrongly took this money and are now trying to blame other factors - anything than accepting the blame themselves.
There are so many of them we need a new Parliament. This Parliament is tainted and any reform they undertake would be seen as just means to hid how they carry on as usual. Only a new Parliament elected by the people and thus with their scaction could undertact reform if the changes are to be accepted.
What utter drivel, I really would like to know what proscribed substance you are using
Mr Mackay AND his wife are both clearly guilty of fraud or embezzlement here and this really should be a police matter, not something some political committee decide. They should step aside so a replacement can be found prior to their incarceration.
a citizens manifesto, the website, etc.etc. One with Integrity..for the genuine good for humanity...You and Me!!