Conservative Karl McCartney’s voting record, expenses and controversies as Lincoln MP

Conservative Karl McCartney is seeking to be re-elected for the third successive time as Lincoln’s MP, having won in 2010 and 2015.

McCartney, who is defending a majority of 1,443, has chosen not to take part in either the one-to-one interviews held at The Lincolnite offices or the Lincoln Debate, held with BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

The six other candidates Karen Lee (Labour), Nick Smith (UKIP), Caroline Kenyon (Liberal Democrats), Ben Loryman (Green), Phil Gray (Independent), and Iain Scott-Burdon (Independent), have all participated in the pre-election events, or sent representatives from their parties.

With this in mind, and a mission to give as many details about each candidate as possible for our readers to make an educated decision on June 8, we have gone through Karl McCartney’s voting record since he became an MP in 2010, to give you an at a glance look at where he stands on key issues.

Economy & taxation

• Voted to cut the top rate of income tax applying to income over £150,000 from 50% to 45%.
• Voted against introducing a tax on bank bonuses.
• Voted to increase VAT from 17.5% to 20%.

NHS & health

• Voted in favour of the government’s NHS reorganisation in 2011.
• Voted against banning smoking in cars with children.
• Voted against allowing a terminally ill person to be lawfully given assistance to end their life.

Social issues

• Voted against gay marriage.
• Voted in favour of repealing the Human Rights Act.
• Voted against removal of the so-called “tampon tax”.

Foreign policy & defence

• Voted to leave the European Union.
• Voted against an investigation into the Iraq War.
• Voted for renewal of Trident nuclear deterrent.

Education

• Voted to raise tuition fees to £9,000 for undergraduates.
• Voted in favour of turning all primary and secondary schools in England into academies.

Transport & environment

• Voted against capping rail fare increases.
• Voted against explicitly requiring an environmental permit for fracking.
• Voted in favour of the sale of England’s state owned forests.

Constitution

• Voted to reduce central government grants to councils.
• Voted in favour of having fewer MPs but against reducing the number of members of the House of Lords.

Controversies

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney at Lincoln Central station. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

McCartney has been known to court controversy during his seven years as Lincoln’s MP.

In 2013, he apologised after writing offensive notes to Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority staff processing his expenses, telling one official they were “talking sh*te”, and condemning another as a “pedantic SOAB”.

One year later, he denied favouriting a bondage tweet on his Twitter account, claiming his account was hacked.

McCartney also caused a backlash over his response to a constituent about gay marriage, suggesting that changes in laws could end up leading to lowering the age of permitted marriage or allowing multi-partnership marriages.

Expenses since 2010

From his election in 2010 to and including the 2015-16 financial year, Karl McCartney claimed a total of £881,249.79 in expenses, in addition to his annual salary as an MP of £74,962.

His annual expenses claims have increased year-on-year, with the information publicly available on the IPSA website.

• 2015-16 – £176,017.37
• 2014-15 – £164,389.14
• 2013-14 – £159,912.97
• 2012-13 – £142,325.51
• 2011-12 – £125,986.92
• 2010-11 – £112,617.88

He also employs his wife Cordelia McCartney as office manager/senior parliamentary assistant, who received an income of between £40,000 and £45,000 in 2015-16.