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Maria Miller expenses scandal: Tory MP ‘says MARK Miller would have been sacked by David Cameron days ago’ Maria Miller expenses scandal: Tory MP ‘says Cameron would have sacked her days ago – if she was called Mark'
(about 1 hour later)
A Conservative MP has reportedly claimed that if Maria Miller had been a man she would have been sacked over the ongoing expenses scandal days ago.A Conservative MP has reportedly claimed that if Maria Miller had been a man she would have been sacked over the ongoing expenses scandal days ago.
The anonymous backbench Tory was quoted in the Huffington Post as saying David Cameron may have reacted differently to the situation, were Ms Miller not one of the party's few high profile female figures.The anonymous backbench Tory was quoted in the Huffington Post as saying David Cameron may have reacted differently to the situation, were Ms Miller not one of the party's few high profile female figures.
The Culture Secretary has been criticised in recent weeks after she was forced to pay back £5,800 of expenses by a committee of MPs, and faces an online petition demanding she repay the £45,000 originally recommended by an independent watchdog.The Culture Secretary has been criticised in recent weeks after she was forced to pay back £5,800 of expenses by a committee of MPs, and faces an online petition demanding she repay the £45,000 originally recommended by an independent watchdog.
But after the Prime Minister came in for criticism from Labour for appearing in the Commons with an all-male front bench, Mr Cameron has continued to stand by Ms Miller.But after the Prime Minister came in for criticism from Labour for appearing in the Commons with an all-male front bench, Mr Cameron has continued to stand by Ms Miller.
"I do wonder if her name was Mark Miller something different might happen. Colleagues think he would have been gone a week ago," the MP told the Huffington Post."I do wonder if her name was Mark Miller something different might happen. Colleagues think he would have been gone a week ago," the MP told the Huffington Post.
"Any expenses scandal is a plague on all our houses. Backbenchers of all parties. It fills us full of dread, because it just drops the whole standing of parliament another notch with our electorate. It doesn't look good."Any expenses scandal is a plague on all our houses. Backbenchers of all parties. It fills us full of dread, because it just drops the whole standing of parliament another notch with our electorate. It doesn't look good.
"There is no mention of 649 MPs whose expenses weren't under scrutiny in the last week. We are all tarred with the same brush." Ms Miller kept a low profile when she arrived for a cabinet meeting in Downing Street this morning, 8 April 2014. She has received the backing of the Prime Minister David Cameron (Reuters) "There is no mention of 649 MPs whose expenses weren't under scrutiny in the last week. We are all tarred with the same brush."
Ms Miller kept a low profile when she arrived for a cabinet meeting in Downing Street this morning, 8 April 2014. She has received the backing of the Prime Minister David Cameron (Reuters) This morning Boris Johnson became the latest high-ranking Tory to refuse to give Ms Miller his unqualified support. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme he nonetheless said it appeared to him that she was being "hounded" and, when pressed, added: "She is staying." This morning Boris Johnson became the latest high-ranking Tory to refuse to give Ms Miller his unqualified support. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme he nonetheless said it appeared to him that she was being "hounded" and, when pressed, added: "She is staying."
The MP for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, went further and told Radio 5Live that he was surprised the minister had not quit.
Jackie Doyle-Price, the MP for Thurrock, the most marginal Tory-held seat in the country, suggested the episode would cost the party votes in next month's European elections and next year's general election. She said: "If I were in that position, facing a difficult set of local elections, I wouldn't be expecting my colleagues to defend me."
Ed Miliband, the Labour MP, also intervened for the first time in the controversy, saying that Mr Cameron had
"some serious questions to answer" over her approach to the expenses investigation and her "perfunctory" apology.
The Liberal Democrat schools minister David Laws, who was forced to resign as chief secretary to the Treasury over his expenses claims, said he was willing to back Ms Miller.The Liberal Democrat schools minister David Laws, who was forced to resign as chief secretary to the Treasury over his expenses claims, said he was willing to back Ms Miller.
"She's another member of the Government and of course she has my support, just as she has the Prime Minister's, which is the support that really counts.""She's another member of the Government and of course she has my support, just as she has the Prime Minister's, which is the support that really counts."
When asked if her situation was similar to the one which saw him step down, Mr Laws said "each set of circumstances is different".When asked if her situation was similar to the one which saw him step down, Mr Laws said "each set of circumstances is different".
Last week Ms Miller gave a 32-second apology to the Commons - described as "contemptuous" by Labour in a formal complaint. The Conservative employment minister Esther McVey admitted to ITV's The Agenda that "I can honestly say it wouldn't be how I would have made an apology".Last week Ms Miller gave a 32-second apology to the Commons - described as "contemptuous" by Labour in a formal complaint. The Conservative employment minister Esther McVey admitted to ITV's The Agenda that "I can honestly say it wouldn't be how I would have made an apology".
While the pressure on Ms Millers appeared to be growing among her fellow politicians, it had already reached a critical level with members of the general public.While the pressure on Ms Millers appeared to be growing among her fellow politicians, it had already reached a critical level with members of the general public.
A ComRes survey suggested that more than two in three Tory supporters, and around three-quarters of voters in general, think Mr Cameron should have sacked her by now.A ComRes survey suggested that more than two in three Tory supporters, and around three-quarters of voters in general, think Mr Cameron should have sacked her by now.
A Change.org petition calling for Ms Miller to either "pay back £45,000 in fraudulent expense claims or resign" has received more than 138,000 signatures in just four days.A Change.org petition calling for Ms Miller to either "pay back £45,000 in fraudulent expense claims or resign" has received more than 138,000 signatures in just four days.