Maria Miller quits, finally defeated by expenses scandal

Downing Street has confirmed that Maria Miller has resigned as culture secretary, following the ongoing furore over her expenses claims.

She said in a letter to David Cameron that the controversy over her housing claims has “has become a distraction from the vital work this government is doing”, while thanking him for his “personal support”.

>> Read Maria Miller’s resignation letter in full – and Cameron’s response

The prime minister has consistently backed Miller, despite a raft of politicians and the public calling for her resignation, and growing pressure from his own backbenchers.

He said in a letter in response to her resignation letter that he hopes she will return to cabinet “in due course”.

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Miller stoked yet more controversy with her 32-second apology – that wasn’t quite an apology – over her housing claims.

The independent parliamentary commissioner for standards had originally recommended that she repay £45,000 for mis-claiming on her expenses for a second home.

The Commons Standards Committee then cleared of funding a home for her parents in breach of the rules, but ordered her to repay £5,800 of her claims, provoking a widespread political and public outcry.