Julie Kirkbride Falls on Sword

A leading Conservative backbencher has announced her intention to leave Westminster at the next General Election.

Julie Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, made her decision after the Daily Telegraph published career-ruining details about her flamboyant Parliamentary expenses. She was under immense pressure to quit after 5,000 Bromsgrove constituents and 80% of ConservativeHome readers called on her to stand down.

Further details of Miss Kirkbride's misdemeanours can by found in a post I wrote earlier today. She's obviously an avid reader.

A shrewd decision.

Time's Up Julie

Pressure is mounting on Tory backbencher Julie Kirkbride amid further damaging revelations about her Parliamentary expenses.

Her husband, fellow Conservative MP Andrew MacKay, recently announced his departure from Westminster after the Daily Telegraph broke the news that the pair had claimed second home allowance on different properties.

The Telegraph escalated its campaign against Miss Kirkbride today by publishing claims that the taxpayer part-funded a £50,000 extension at her flat so her brother could live there. It also claimed that the Bromsgrove MP allowed her brother to purchase £1,000 of electrical goods, funded by her Parliamentary allowance. Miss Kirkbride's sister, Karen Leadley, works as her £12,000 a year secretary even though she works 140 miles away from the constituency office.

Meanwhile in Bromsgrove a campaign to oust the money-grabbing MP continues to gather momentum. The 'Julie Must Go' pressure group has collected more than 5,000 signatures calling for Miss Kirkbride to stand down at the next General Election.

I can fully understand why her constituents are hacked off with her flamboyant use of taxpayer's money.

It pains me to see so many wayward Conservatives appearing in the pages of the 'Torygraph'. The only consolation is that these bad eggs will be dealt with, unlike their Labour counterparts skulking under their rocks until the furore has died down.

Enough is enough Julie. It's time to call it a day. It would be nice if you retained an ounce of dignity by stepping aside before you have to be pushed.

Upping the Ante

North Korea has threatened its southern neighbour with military action following its decision to enter into a US-led coalition against nuclear arms trafficking.

A statement on North Korean state broadcaster KCNA said that it no longer considered itself bound by the terms of a 1953 ceasefire which ended the war between the two Koreas.

The catalyst for North Korea's aggressive tone is the South's entry into the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) - a campaign to stop and search suspicious looking ships for nuclear weapon components.

South Korea views joining the PSI as "a natural obligation" amid the North's continued development of dangerous materials.

A North Korean military spokesman outlined his nation's objections to the South's involvement in the PSI: "Any hostile act against our peaceful vessels, including search and seizure, will be considered an unpardonable infringement on our sovereignty.

"We will immediately respond with a powerful military strike."

Meanwhile South Korea has reported concerns to the UN that the North has resumed production of weapons grade plutonium. It is believed that North Korea has as many as two-dozen nuclear facilities, which are mainly located in the south west of the country.

I'm So Ronery

North Korea fired two missiles earlier today, just hours after the secretive communist state attracted global condemnation for performing an underground nuclear test.

UN diplomats are working feverishly on a resolution that will clip the rogue nation's wings, although options are limited because the North Korean Government has ignored several previous resolutions.

Tension between the UN and North Korea reached fever pitch in 2002 when Kim Jong-il forcibly ejected UN weapon inspectors from the country. UN Security Council Resolution (October 2006) called upon North Korea to "abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner."

There was a small glimmer of light in 2007 when North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear programme in return for aid and diplomatic concessions. Unfortunately they walked away from the negotiating table shortly afterwards.

It is believed the new resolution will include a raft of debilitating sanctions, which will serve to isolate North Korea further from the western world. There aren't that many options remaining as the finger-wagging stage reaches a climax.

The North Korean Government rattled its sabre on state broadcaster KCNA, saying they were fully prepared for "any reckless US attempt for a pre-emptive attack."

I'm sure we'll see how prepared they are in the not too distant future.

Cameron Fixing Broken Politics

The Leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has outlined his vision of sweeping Parliamentary reforms that will realign the people with democracy.

In his speech at the Open University in Milton Keynes Mr Cameron said there was need for a "radical redistribution of power". He condemned the collapse of personal responsibility and the leeching of power from the individual and the community into the hands of the elite.

Mr Cameron outlined plans for a new slimline Parliament with 10% fewer MPs, greater scrutiny of legislation and greater transparency.

At a local level the Conservatives would allow parents to choose their children's schools and the establishment of Local Housing Trusts would afford neighborhoods a greater stake in their own regeneration.

Importantly he reiterated the Conservatives' pledge to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and announced a British Bill of Rights, designed to safeguard civil liberties and reinforce political accountability.

Now is the time for a Conservative Government.

Bored of Telegraph Witch Hunt

Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MP

Another day, yet another assortment of MPs on the rack over their Parliamentary expenses. The Telegraph really are milking this one for all it's worth and it's growing a bit tedious to tell you the truth.

I think we can take it for granted that a sizable minority of the Westminster contingent are exploiting the expenses system. I think we're all agreed that it's scandalous that MPs can claim for extravagant extras designed to facilitate their lavish lifestyle rather than their official Parliamentary business.

The Telegraph is like a rabid dog foaming at the mouth over this story. They know what they want to print and they aren't prepared to entertain the politicians' excuses, however sincere they may be.

My MP, Sir Alan Beith, is the subject of Telegraph speculation today. I disagree with his politics but he's a good MP, who has served north-Northumberland diligently over the past 35 years. He's also a family man of the utmost integrity. I knew his first wife Barbara well because she used to teach me. A lovely lady, who sadly died well before her time.

Today the Telegraph accused him of milking the system by claiming £117,750 in second home allowances since 2001. That works out at a little over £1,000 per month for renting a property in London - not a hugely unreasonable sum considering prices down there.

They also wag their finger at him for spending £6,000 on food over the last 3 years. Alan points out that a lot of these food expenses were incurred during late night Commons sittings and on the train. Considering MPs sit about 150 days a year that works out at just under £15 per day. Would people consider that excessive? You can barely get a meal on the train for that price.

They also poke their noses into a £5,000 claim for 3 years worth of cleaning, £5,457 for a new kitchen and £219 for an air conditioning unit. All of these claims were explained perfectly adequately to the Telegraph, yet they decided to stick the boot in regardless.

I'm disappointed that the Telegraph today tarnished his good reputation without putting forward his side of the argument.

I always considered the Telegraph slightly better than a red-topped tabloid. Obviously I was mistaken.

Martin Gone

As I predicted yesterday the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin MP, has resigned his position.

Maybe he does have some morals after all.

Next stop electoral annihilation for Labour in Martin's Glasgow North East constituency. You'll really know Labour's days are numbered when the people of Glasgow turn their back.

Martin on the Brink

Commons Speaker Michael Martin is set to make an announcement to MPs tomorrow about the Parliamentary expenses scandal.

Mr Martin, Labour lackey and MP for Glasgow North East, has attracted widespread criticism since he was appointed Speaker nine years ago. His impartiality has been questioned on several occasions, most notably when he struck down a perfectly valid question from David Cameron to Tony Blair about his continued leadership of the Labour Party.

The Speaker's loose hand on the Westminster tiller was further highlighted when the office of top Tory Damian Green was searched by police behind Mr Martin's back. MPs stood aghast in the chamber when Mr Martin revealed that the search was conducted without his prior knowledge and without a warrant.

This morning Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg added his voice to the increasing number of MPs calling for Mr Martin's resignation. A motion of no confidence will be tabled by Conservative backbencher Douglas Carswell next week.

In addition to chairing debates the Speaker is charged with maintaining order and good discipline in the House of Commons. Clearly several MPs and the majority of the population believe Mr Martin has failed in this respect.

With both Opposition parties now calling for Mr Martin's neck I doubt he will make it to June as Speaker. I fully expect him to fall on his sword tomorrow.

Justice Minister Quits Over Dodgy Expenses

The Daily Telegraph has revealed details of even more MPs on the take.

In the cross hairs tomorrow is Bury North MP David Chaytor. Mr Chaytor, a Labour backbencher, claimed more than £13,000 towards a mortgage he had already paid off in full.

Mr Chaytor admitted his guilt by telling the Telegraph: "In respect of mortgage interest payments, there has been an unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologise unreservedly.

"I will act immediately to ensure repayment is made to the fees office."

Vultures are also circling around the carcass of Justice Minister Shahid Malik, who was forced to resign today after the earlier publication of his expenses.

The arrogant and unrepentant Labour MP for Dewsbury attempted to defend a £2,000 claim for a 40-inch flatscreen television, £730 for a massage chair and a £65 court summons for non-payment of council tax.

He told Sky News: "It's a non-story because I could be any one of five hundred MPs".

Shameless Malik appeared on the news tonight adamant of his entitlement to these expenses. Virtually confirming his guilt he pleaded to the viewers: "I am as straight as they come".

Labour MP Chris Bryant, famous for posing on a gay dating site in his underwear a few years ago, stands accused of flipping his second home to make a profit on the taxpayer.

Meanwhile David Cameron took the unprecedented step of using this evening's Conservative Party Election Broadcast to apologise for his party's failings in the expenses row.

Mr Cameron also established an independent review body to scrutinise the expenses of every Tory MP and announced plans to publish all their expenses online.

All this less than 3 weeks before the European and Local Government elections.

I sense a bloodbath at the polls.

Stand and Deliver

One story has been leading every news programme this week - the exploitation of the parliamentary expenses system.

It seems MPs of all political persuasions have been milking the system for all it's worth. It's all very disappointing. It's of little consolation that David Cameron has ordered his Conservative minions to pay back their ill-gotten gains. That's a significant step further than the Labour hierarchy.

I felt compelled to blog, but don't have time to write more.