MARIA Miller “is an outstanding MP for Basingstoke”, the Hampshire Conservative Federation has claimed.

The group is backing the beleaguered Mrs Miller and described recent suggestions that she has not paid tax correctly as “ridiculous and groundless”.

In a statement, put out today by the chairman of the federation, David Parkinson the group said the MP “will not be resigning.”

The statement reads: “At the beginning of February, Basingstoke Conservative Party members on the governing body of the Hampshire Conservative Federation re-selected The Rt. Hon. Maria Miller, MP to be the Conservative Party candidate in the 2015 General Election.

“They will, of course, continue to support Maria as the best choice for Basingstoke electors.

“Maria Miller has delivered some major government policies and delivered for the people of Basingstoke. “There was a 16 month parliamentary inquiry and both the committee and the independent commissioner dismissed the central allegation made by a Labour MP.

“Both have made it clear they are in agreement that there is no case to answer.

“Maria Miller has accepted the Committee’s recommendations in full and has unreservedly apologised in the House of Commons for her approach to the matter which the Committee felt was too legalistic. “Maria will not be resigning since the inquiry cleared her of the allegation.

“Maria herself identified and has already repaid £5,800; this was not part of the Commissioner’s inquiry. “With regard to the sale of her house in London, Maria always pays tax in accordance with HMRC rules and any suggestion to the contrary is both ridiculous and groundless.

“She is an outstanding MP for Basingstoke and has our full support.”