Maria
Miller today Wednesday April 09,2014 finally resigned as Culture Secretary after the row over
her expense claims became a catastrophic distraction for the government.
The
Basingstoke MP quit the Cabinet after becoming overwhelmed by a chorus
of disapproval from Tory MPs and ministers over her mortgage claims and
her terse, 32-second apology to the Commons six days ago.
At
12.16pm last Thursday April 03,2014, Maria Miller rose in the Commons to deliver a
personal statement in response to a report into her expenses. But her
brief contribution, last barely 32-seconds, poured fuel on the row which
eventually led to her downfall.
With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal statement in relation to today’s report.
The report resulted from an allegation made by John Mann, and the Committee on Standards has dismissed his allegation.
The Committee has recommended that I apologise to the House for my attitude to the Commissioner’s inquiries, and I, of course, unreservedly apologise.
I fully accept the recommendations of the Committee, and thank it for bringing this matter to an end.
This is the house in Wimbledon, south London, which Mrs Miller owned for 19 years, claiming expenses to pay the mortgage for four years, before selling it for £1.4million
With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal statement in relation to today’s report.
The report resulted from an allegation made by John Mann, and the Committee on Standards has dismissed his allegation.
The Committee has recommended that I apologise to the House for my attitude to the Commissioner’s inquiries, and I, of course, unreservedly apologise.
I fully accept the recommendations of the Committee, and thank it for bringing this matter to an end.
This is the house in Wimbledon, south London, which Mrs Miller owned for 19 years, claiming expenses to pay the mortgage for four years, before selling it for £1.4million
Prime
Minister David Cameron had been determined to cling on to one of his
early supporters as Tory leader, but at 7am as he prepared for a
drubbing at PMQs he reluctantly admitted the row was causing damage to
the entire government and she had to go.
HOW MARIA MILLER'S HOUSE LANDED HER IN HOT WATER
1996: Bought double-fronted Victorian terrace house in Wimbledon, south-west London, for £234,000
2005: Elected Tory MP for Basingstoke
2005-2009: Claimed £90,718 in expenses on the property
2007: Increased the mortgage for a second time to £575,000, with taxpayers meeting the cost
2009: Stopped claiming expenses
2010: Became minister for Disabled People
2011: Started claiming expenses on renting a property in her Basingstoke constituency
September 2012: Joined Cabinet as Culture Secretary
December 2012: Labour MP John Mann made a complaint about claiming expenses because her elderly parents lived in the house
2014: Sold London home for £1.47million, a profit of £1.236million
April 3: Independent standards commissioner rejects original complaint about Mrs Miller's parents living in the house. But inquiry found Mrs Miller should repay £44,000 in over-claimed mortgage interest and £1,000 in over-claimed council tax. But the standards committee of MPs said she owed £5,800.
Mrs Miller delivered 32-second apology to Commons
2005: Elected Tory MP for Basingstoke
2005-2009: Claimed £90,718 in expenses on the property
2007: Increased the mortgage for a second time to £575,000, with taxpayers meeting the cost
2009: Stopped claiming expenses
2010: Became minister for Disabled People
2011: Started claiming expenses on renting a property in her Basingstoke constituency
September 2012: Joined Cabinet as Culture Secretary
December 2012: Labour MP John Mann made a complaint about claiming expenses because her elderly parents lived in the house
2014: Sold London home for £1.47million, a profit of £1.236million
April 3: Independent standards commissioner rejects original complaint about Mrs Miller's parents living in the house. But inquiry found Mrs Miller should repay £44,000 in over-claimed mortgage interest and £1,000 in over-claimed council tax. But the standards committee of MPs said she owed £5,800.
Mrs Miller delivered 32-second apology to Commons
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