A LABOUR MP for Derby says the Culture Secretary – who quit yesterday over an expenses row – was effectively forced to resign.
Conservative Maria Miller stood down from her cabinet role after being accused of over claiming for her mortgage payments.
It led to repeated calls in the national press for her to resign – and yesterday the 50-year-old MP did exactly that.
Labour's Margaret Beckett, who represents Derby South, said Mrs Miller made the right choice to go, as the media attention had become too great.
Mrs Beckett said: "I think the whole thing was extremely unfortunate. The standards committee have said maybe it wasn't £45,000 (that Mrs Miller over claimed) but there doesn't seem to be much doubt that she (failed to reduce her mortgage claims as interest rates fell), which is the sort of thing people get upset about.
"Fundamentally, she was right to consider her position. I think Ed (Miliband) had his finger on it when he said she went because of the media coverage. I think that's probably true."
Mrs Beckett said the media attention made Mrs Miller's position untenable.
The Labour MP said: "I think she was absolutely right to go. There's no doubt about that at all. It was causing problems both for her party and for the House (of Commons) as a whole.
"It was becoming very clear that there is a lack of people in her party who are happy about the situation.
"It was always bound to come up at Prime Minister's Questions and she saved David Cameron some embarrassment by going.
"Cameron has tried to hang on to her but it just wasn't going to work. The whole thing has been one small disaster after another. Every day seemed to bring something more – and none of it was positive.
"At the end of the day, if there's a story that is causing difficulties and embarrassment and you can't put it to bed, that's because somebody somewhere is keeping it going. Eventually, the pressure to go becomes too great.
"If the Conservatives win the next election David Cameron might be able to get his wish and bring her back. But short of that, it won't happen."
The Derby Telegraph contacted local Conservative MPs for their reaction to Mrs Miller's resignation but none returned our calls.
In a letter to Mr Cameron, Mrs Miller said the controversy over her expenses "has become a distraction from the vital work this Government is doing".
Mr Cameron said he was "sad" at the circumstances of her departure and hoped she could make a return "in due course".
The PM told her it was "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".
