Published: Friday, 22nd May, 2009 10:12pm

MP faces angry public

by Rose Harland

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MacKay reveals he will go through the reselection process again

Andrew MacKay tonight (Friday) revealed that he will resubmit himself for reselection to ensure the Bracknell Conservative Party still wants him to stand as their MP. Mr MacKay faced an audience of around 400 at a public meeting at the Kerith Centre in Bracknell to answer questions over the expenses row. Although there were some hecklers and most questioners were angry that he and his MP wife have been claiming second home allowances on different houses, Mr MacKay said he felt that "about three quarters" of the audience backed him.

Many members of the public expressed their incredulity that Mr MacKay, alongwith other MPs, had not realised there was anything wrong in making the claims and there were repeated calls for him to pay back the cash. Mr MacKay spoke without notes to make a brief speech at the beginning on what had happened since he submitted his expenses to scrutiny by Tory leader David Cameron on Wednesday last week and his subsequent resignation as Cameron"s advisor on Thursday morning.

After the meeting he told waiting press: 'It was exactly as I had hoped. There were some tough questions and some angry people but if you judge where the applause was I would say about three quarters were in my favour.

'It"s absolutely essential that my local Conservative Association have a fresh selection meeting.'

It is thought that meeting will take place before Parliament"s summer recess.

For a full report see Thursday"s News.

For video footage of the meeting see below.