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How Julie Kirkbride's story has changed
28 May 2009Julie Kirkbride dismissed as a "total distortion" a report which revealed that she allowed her brother Ian to stay "rent-free" at her taxpayer-funded second home in Worcestershire.
During a TV interview yesterday, she admitted that he did stay there "rent-free" but argued that it saved taxpayers' money because he looked after her son. However, MPs cannot claim childcare costs on their housing allowance.
Defending her second home claim of £140,000 over seven years, Ms Kirkbride has insisted that her brother's use of the flat had not cost the taxpayer a penny.
Now it has emerged that she billed the taxpayer to fund a £50,000 extension so that her eight-year-old son and brother could have separate bedrooms.
Ms Kirkbride reportedly told the Commons fees office last year that she needed the extra room for her "growing family".
Now, it is clear that her family has not grown in size, however, she could claim that her son is growing up and therefore needs more privacy.
Ms Kirkbride has stressed that it was already well known that she employed her sister Karen Leadley at the taxpayer's expense as a £12,000-a-year secretary.
This may be true but senior Conservative sources were unaware that her sister worked from home in Dorset, more than 100 miles from both Ms Kirkbride's constituency and Parliament.
