CONSERVATIVE candidate Maria Miller condemned the “personal attacks” she had received following her expenses scandal last April at the final hustings event in the town before polling day on Thursday.

Alongside Mrs Miller, Labour candidate Paul Harvey, UKIP hopeful Alan Stone and Independent candidate Omar Selim battled it out at the final hustings event of the General Election campaign last night at St Mary’s Church, in Eastrop.

The borough’s Liberal Democrats leader, Cllr Gavin James, stood in for the party’s candidate for Basingstoke, Janice Spalding, following the death of her mother on Tuesday.

When asked to introduce herself to a packed room of around 450 people, Mrs Miller took the opportunity to address the public row over her expenses scandal which saw her quit her post as Culture Secretary at the heart of the Government.

Although Mrs Miller was cleared of deliberately submitting expense claims that she was not entitled to for her Wimbledon second home, she was ordered to repay £5,800 to cover the costs of over-claiming mortgage expenses on the second home after she failed to cut her claims as interest rates fell.

She told listeners at the hustings event: “Most people are not aware that the allegations made against me three years ago were founded to be untrue and I think it is sad that some have chosen to use the General Election to imply wrongdoing on my part.

“I simply found the very personal attacks (comments) quite intimidating and it certainly made me think seriously to continue my role as an MP. But the attacks have only served to strengthen my resolve.

“The evidence is clear that too many women are being put off politics and put off seeking office because of intrusions into their family lives and unfounded personal attacks – the sort I have had to endure.”

She added: “I would like to be crystal clear – we know I am an effective campaigner for the community and working with quite a lot of you.

"You know I fight hard for Basingstoke and I am not about to stop that now. What this town needs is a resilient MP with a track record of getting results.”