This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/08/maria-miller-media-witch-hunt

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Maria Miller lashes out at 'media witch-hunt' Aide's plea to MPs as Miller fights back
(about 1 hour later)
The embattled culture secretary, Maria Miller, launched a desperate fightback against growing pressure to resign, as one of her aides canvassed backbenchers for support and then toured TV studios to accuse the media of whipping up the row over her expenses in revenge for press regulation and gay marriage.The embattled culture secretary, Maria Miller, launched a desperate fightback against growing pressure to resign, as one of her aides canvassed backbenchers for support and then toured TV studios to accuse the media of whipping up the row over her expenses in revenge for press regulation and gay marriage.
Miller issued a fresh apology to her constituents in Basingstoke, Hampshire, saying she had let them down and was "devastated" after she was ordered to repay thousands of pounds in expenses wrongly claimed for a mortgage.Miller issued a fresh apology to her constituents in Basingstoke, Hampshire, saying she had let them down and was "devastated" after she was ordered to repay thousands of pounds in expenses wrongly claimed for a mortgage.
But the mea culpa was coupled with a new defence of her conduct, just hours after several Tories broke rank to speak out against her, and Lady Boothroyd, a former Speaker of the Commons, said her failure to resign was bringing parliament into disrepute.But the mea culpa was coupled with a new defence of her conduct, just hours after several Tories broke rank to speak out against her, and Lady Boothroyd, a former Speaker of the Commons, said her failure to resign was bringing parliament into disrepute.
"I am pleased that the committee has fully dismissed all of the allegations made against me," Miller told her local paper, the Basingstoke Gazette, claiming the need to return £5,800 to the taxpayer was a separate issue that she had drawn attention to herself."I am pleased that the committee has fully dismissed all of the allegations made against me," Miller told her local paper, the Basingstoke Gazette, claiming the need to return £5,800 to the taxpayer was a separate issue that she had drawn attention to herself.
Few senior figures have lined up to defend Miller after the standards watchdog ordered her to pay money back and say sorry in parliament for failing to co-operate fully with the inquiry, although David Cameron continues to offer the culture secretary his support.Few senior figures have lined up to defend Miller after the standards watchdog ordered her to pay money back and say sorry in parliament for failing to co-operate fully with the inquiry, although David Cameron continues to offer the culture secretary his support.
A growing number of backbenchers, of increasing seniority, are going on the record to condemn her. As criticism from the Tory benches intensified, Mary Macleod, Miller's parliamentary private secretary, sent a text message to backbench colleagues saying she believed there was a "witch-hunt on Maria due to Leveson" and added: "Maria would really appreciate your support."A growing number of backbenchers, of increasing seniority, are going on the record to condemn her. As criticism from the Tory benches intensified, Mary Macleod, Miller's parliamentary private secretary, sent a text message to backbench colleagues saying she believed there was a "witch-hunt on Maria due to Leveson" and added: "Maria would really appreciate your support."
Macleod then toured the television studios to defend her boss, but appeared to stoke the row further by suggesting that the public did not really understand the facts of the case and the media had a "hidden agenda".Macleod then toured the television studios to defend her boss, but appeared to stoke the row further by suggesting that the public did not really understand the facts of the case and the media had a "hidden agenda".
Speaking on Sky News and later the BBC, Macleod insisted Miller had been cleared of all accusations and said the reason newspapers were pursuing the issue so vigorously was "Leveson and probably equal marriage as well".Speaking on Sky News and later the BBC, Macleod insisted Miller had been cleared of all accusations and said the reason newspapers were pursuing the issue so vigorously was "Leveson and probably equal marriage as well".
She said: "Why do you think, when allegations are being dismissed, they are continuing this story every day? Why would they continue unless there was a hidden agenda – and it's not just me saying this, there's a lot of MPs saying this. Maria has a lot of support and I think she's a brilliant culture secretary. I think that the media role behind this is about Leveson … They are not treating her fairly."She said: "Why do you think, when allegations are being dismissed, they are continuing this story every day? Why would they continue unless there was a hidden agenda – and it's not just me saying this, there's a lot of MPs saying this. Maria has a lot of support and I think she's a brilliant culture secretary. I think that the media role behind this is about Leveson … They are not treating her fairly."
Sources close to Miller distanced her from her aide's intervention, saying it was not made at Miller's bidding and that Macleod hadacted as an "independent" MP with views of her own.. No 10 also declined to say whether the prime minister thought there was a link to the Leveson proposals to reform the press, but a source said Cameron still fully backed Miller.Sources close to Miller distanced her from her aide's intervention, saying it was not made at Miller's bidding and that Macleod hadacted as an "independent" MP with views of her own.. No 10 also declined to say whether the prime minister thought there was a link to the Leveson proposals to reform the press, but a source said Cameron still fully backed Miller.
The assertion comes after Miller's special adviser, Jo Hindley, was criticised for trying to "flag up" a link between the culture secretary's work on press regulation to a Daily Telegraph journalist who was investigating her expenses.The assertion comes after Miller's special adviser, Jo Hindley, was criticised for trying to "flag up" a link between the culture secretary's work on press regulation to a Daily Telegraph journalist who was investigating her expenses.
Cameron has been warned that the row is turning toxic and anger with Miller's conduct may come to a head at a meeting of the influential 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers on Wednesday.Cameron has been warned that the row is turning toxic and anger with Miller's conduct may come to a head at a meeting of the influential 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers on Wednesday.
Some of the most stinging criticism came from Boothroyd, who said Miller should resign as a matter of honour and that Cameron had made an error of judgment by allowing her stay. "I think that it's not just a question of apology," she told the BBC's PM programme. "I mean, it was an apology, it wasn't very fulsome, and as far as I understand it she's taken a very, very long time to deal with the commissioner for standards in the most churlish way, legalistic way – it's taken her a long time to do all of that. Some of the most stinging criticism came from Boothroyd, who said Miller should resign as a matter of honour and that Cameron had made an error of judgment by allowing her to stay. "I think that it's not just a question of apology," she told the BBC's PM programme. "I mean, it was an apology, it wasn't very fulsome, and as far as I understand it she's taken a very, very long time to deal with the commissioner for standards in the most churlish way, legalistic way – it's taken her a long time to do all of that.
"My concern is that parliament has taken hard knocks for a long time, [it's] done a great deal of damage, and there is now time to try and repair that, and this does not help at all. And I think it is a matter of honour.""My concern is that parliament has taken hard knocks for a long time, [it's] done a great deal of damage, and there is now time to try and repair that, and this does not help at all. And I think it is a matter of honour."
A number of backbench Tory MPs publicly criticised their senior colleague for the first time. These included Zac Goldsmith, who said he was surprised she had not gone, Matthew Offord, who said the row was a real issue on the doorstep, Philip Davies, who argued it was damaging the reputation of the party, and Mark Field, who said her apology was "unacceptably perfunctory".A number of backbench Tory MPs publicly criticised their senior colleague for the first time. These included Zac Goldsmith, who said he was surprised she had not gone, Matthew Offord, who said the row was a real issue on the doorstep, Philip Davies, who argued it was damaging the reputation of the party, and Mark Field, who said her apology was "unacceptably perfunctory".
Previously, employment minister Esther McVey suggested her apology could have been better, Nicola Blackwood, a Tory aide in the business department, indicated that she would be "really quite worried indeed" if in the same position, and backbencher Jackie Doyle-Price argued that Miller could not expect support from her colleagues on the issue of expenses.Previously, employment minister Esther McVey suggested her apology could have been better, Nicola Blackwood, a Tory aide in the business department, indicated that she would be "really quite worried indeed" if in the same position, and backbencher Jackie Doyle-Price argued that Miller could not expect support from her colleagues on the issue of expenses.
Boris Johnson failed to answer the question of whether Miller should keep her job, telling the BBC's Today programme: "I don't know the facts of the case in great detail, but it seems to me she is being hounded quite a lot and my natural sympathies go out to people in hounded situations – how about that?"Boris Johnson failed to answer the question of whether Miller should keep her job, telling the BBC's Today programme: "I don't know the facts of the case in great detail, but it seems to me she is being hounded quite a lot and my natural sympathies go out to people in hounded situations – how about that?"
The independent standards commissioner originally wanted Miller to repay £45,000 but this was reduced to £5,800 by the Commons standards committee of MPs. This has led to calls for parliament to take a fresh look at the system of policing MPs' conduct and a new mechanism for voters to be able to sack their MP in the event of any wrongdoing.The independent standards commissioner originally wanted Miller to repay £45,000 but this was reduced to £5,800 by the Commons standards committee of MPs. This has led to calls for parliament to take a fresh look at the system of policing MPs' conduct and a new mechanism for voters to be able to sack their MP in the event of any wrongdoing.
"Can I ask the leader of the house to take not only the mood of this place but also this country to make the necessary change we need?" Offord asked during a debate in the House of Commons called by Labour MP John Mann about the effectiveness of the standards regime."Can I ask the leader of the house to take not only the mood of this place but also this country to make the necessary change we need?" Offord asked during a debate in the House of Commons called by Labour MP John Mann about the effectiveness of the standards regime.
Kevin Barron, the Labour MP in charge of the committee, said he was reviewing the way it works, but Andrew Lansley, the leader of the house, defended the current system and argued against the idea of lay members having a greater role.Kevin Barron, the Labour MP in charge of the committee, said he was reviewing the way it works, but Andrew Lansley, the leader of the house, defended the current system and argued against the idea of lay members having a greater role.