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| Maria Miller quits as culture secretary after expenses row | Maria Miller quits as culture secretary after expenses row |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Maria Miller has denied being forced to stand down as culture secretary after a damaging row about her expenses, insisting it was her decision. | |
| "I take full responsibility for my decision to resign. I think it's the right thing to do," she said. | |
| Appearing close to tears, she said the row had become an "enormous distraction" from "the incredible achievements of this government". | |
| Conservative MP Sajid Javid is to replace her as culture secretary. | |
| The MP for Bromsgrove will be promoted from his current role as Financial Secretary to the Treasury. | |
| But Prime Minister David Cameron said he hoped Mrs Miller would return to the cabinet "in due course". | |
| Mrs Miller was cleared of funding a home for her parents at taxpayers' expense, but was told to repay £5,800 of the expenses she claimed. | Mrs Miller was cleared of funding a home for her parents at taxpayers' expense, but was told to repay £5,800 of the expenses she claimed. |
| The independent parliamentary commissioner for standards had previously recommended she repay £45,000. | The independent parliamentary commissioner for standards had previously recommended she repay £45,000. |
| But the lower sum was approved by the Commons Standards Committee, which has the final say on whether to accept the commissioner's recommendations - a decision which sparked a backlash across the political spectrum and calls for changes in how complaints against MPs are investigated. | But the lower sum was approved by the Commons Standards Committee, which has the final say on whether to accept the commissioner's recommendations - a decision which sparked a backlash across the political spectrum and calls for changes in how complaints against MPs are investigated. |
| 'Enormous distraction' | |
| The committee also criticised her "attitude" during the investigation, which it ruled was a breach of the parliamentary code of conduct. | The committee also criticised her "attitude" during the investigation, which it ruled was a breach of the parliamentary code of conduct. |
| Mrs Miller apologised in the Commons, but was criticised for the brevity of the statement she made. | Mrs Miller apologised in the Commons, but was criticised for the brevity of the statement she made. |
| David Cameron's official spokesman said the PM and Mrs Miller discussed her future on Tuesday night and her resignation was confirmed on Wednesday morning. | David Cameron's official spokesman said the PM and Mrs Miller discussed her future on Tuesday night and her resignation was confirmed on Wednesday morning. |
| In a TV interview, she dismissed speculation that she had been pushed into resigning by Downing Street. | |
| "I was cleared of the central allegation made about me by a Labour MP," she said. | |
| "I hoped that I could stay, but it has become clear to me over the last couple few days that this has become an enormous distraction, and it's not right that I'm detracting from the incredible achievements of this government. | |
| "I've been a member of the Conservative Party for 30 years. | |
| "I continue to support, obviously, my colleagues here in Parliament, the government, and above all the prime minister." | |
| Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was "saddened" by the news. | Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was "saddened" by the news. |
| "She worked incredibly hard as part of a team," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "She has done some brave and right things, not least that equal marriage is now on the statute book." | "She worked incredibly hard as part of a team," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "She has done some brave and right things, not least that equal marriage is now on the statute book." |
| Mr Gove, a former journalist, said he "would not criticise the press", but said: "Over the course of the a last couple of days the pressure on Maria Miller grew more intense. | Mr Gove, a former journalist, said he "would not criticise the press", but said: "Over the course of the a last couple of days the pressure on Maria Miller grew more intense. |
| "Some of the criticism directed as her had been very personal, and it must have been hurtful," he continued. | "Some of the criticism directed as her had been very personal, and it must have been hurtful," he continued. |
| He also commended Mr Cameron's defence of Mrs Miller, arguing that his "loyalty, that desire to think the best of those who work with him, is a virtue". | He also commended Mr Cameron's defence of Mrs Miller, arguing that his "loyalty, that desire to think the best of those who work with him, is a virtue". |
| "I don't think his judgement has been flawed," he said. | "I don't think his judgement has been flawed," he said. |
| "The prime minister's attitude throughout has been governed by the basic human decency that is his hallmark." | "The prime minister's attitude throughout has been governed by the basic human decency that is his hallmark." |
| It comes a day before Parliament breaks for its Easter recess and ahead of a session of Prime Minister's Questions at which Mr Cameron was expected to come under pressure over the row. | It comes a day before Parliament breaks for its Easter recess and ahead of a session of Prime Minister's Questions at which Mr Cameron was expected to come under pressure over the row. |
| 'Incandescent' | 'Incandescent' |
| Labour MP John Mann, whose complaint sparked the investigation into Mrs Miller's expenses, welcomed her resignation. | Labour MP John Mann, whose complaint sparked the investigation into Mrs Miller's expenses, welcomed her resignation. |
| "My reaction is it's about time too... Maria Miller should have resigned immediately and when she didn't resign, David Cameron should have shown a bit of leadership and he should have sacked her," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "My reaction is it's about time too... Maria Miller should have resigned immediately and when she didn't resign, David Cameron should have shown a bit of leadership and he should have sacked her," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "There is a difference between loyalty and blind loyalty," he continued later. | "There is a difference between loyalty and blind loyalty," he continued later. |
| Voters were "incandescent" about Mrs Miller's expenses claims and Mr Cameron's "failure to act" had been "incomprehensible to most people", Mr Mann said. | Voters were "incandescent" about Mrs Miller's expenses claims and Mr Cameron's "failure to act" had been "incomprehensible to most people", Mr Mann said. |
| He also said that criticism of the media's role in the affair was "total rubbish". | He also said that criticism of the media's role in the affair was "total rubbish". |
| "There's only one person who is responsible for Maria Miller's behaviour and that's Maria Miller, and there's only one person who is responsible for David Cameron's indecisiveness, and that's David Cameron. They should stop briefing and attacking other people. | "There's only one person who is responsible for Maria Miller's behaviour and that's Maria Miller, and there's only one person who is responsible for David Cameron's indecisiveness, and that's David Cameron. They should stop briefing and attacking other people. |
| "There's a word missing in British politics these days and that's honour, and I would define honour as: if you've done something wrong, as a cabinet minister, you resign - and if you don't resign you get sacked." | "There's a word missing in British politics these days and that's honour, and I would define honour as: if you've done something wrong, as a cabinet minister, you resign - and if you don't resign you get sacked." |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the government had tried to deal with the row by stressing that Mrs Miller had done what she was asked to do the committee of standards and privileges "and that's where the matter rests". | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the government had tried to deal with the row by stressing that Mrs Miller had done what she was asked to do the committee of standards and privileges "and that's where the matter rests". |
| But, added Robinson, the tactic had failed spectacularly. | But, added Robinson, the tactic had failed spectacularly. |
| 'Devastated' | 'Devastated' |
| He said the public viewed Mrs Miller as, at best, over-claiming thousands of pounds - at worst, tens of thousands - and if the rules had applied to them they would have been sacked or put in prison. | He said the public viewed Mrs Miller as, at best, over-claiming thousands of pounds - at worst, tens of thousands - and if the rules had applied to them they would have been sacked or put in prison. |
| He added that Labour leader Ed Miliband would still be able to use the row against Mr Cameron at PMQ's later, asking him "What on earth were you doing?" backing Mrs Miller. | He added that Labour leader Ed Miliband would still be able to use the row against Mr Cameron at PMQ's later, asking him "What on earth were you doing?" backing Mrs Miller. |
| In her resignation letter to the prime minister, Mrs Miller said she was "immensely proud" of her work in cabinet, including "putting in place the legislation to enable all couples to have the opportunity to marry regardless of their sexuality". | |
| She also acknowledged that her role in "implementing the recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson on the future of media regulation, following the phone hacking scandals, would always be controversial for the press". | She also acknowledged that her role in "implementing the recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson on the future of media regulation, following the phone hacking scandals, would always be controversial for the press". |
| The prime minister said he was sorry to receive Mrs Miller's resignation but accepted her decision. | The prime minister said he was sorry to receive Mrs Miller's resignation but accepted her decision. |
| "I think it is important to be clear that the Committee on Standards cleared you of the unfounded allegations made against you, a point which has been lost in much of the comment in recent days," he wrote. | "I think it is important to be clear that the Committee on Standards cleared you of the unfounded allegations made against you, a point which has been lost in much of the comment in recent days," he wrote. |
| On Tuesday, in her weekly column in the local newspaper in her constituency, the Basingstoke Gazette, Mrs Miller told voters: "I am devastated that this has happened, and that I have let you down. | On Tuesday, in her weekly column in the local newspaper in her constituency, the Basingstoke Gazette, Mrs Miller told voters: "I am devastated that this has happened, and that I have let you down. |
| "I have been subject to an intense Parliamentary inquiry looking at extensive personal details of my family life, as a result of allegations made by a Labour MP. | "I have been subject to an intense Parliamentary inquiry looking at extensive personal details of my family life, as a result of allegations made by a Labour MP. |
| "That committee has now published its report and I have accepted their findings in full. I have unreservedly apologised for the way I handled and approached the inquiry." | "That committee has now published its report and I have accepted their findings in full. I have unreservedly apologised for the way I handled and approached the inquiry." |