Outspoken Teresa Gorman's attacks on the committee set up to monitor MPs have been dismissed as "outrageous" by the Government.

The Billericay MP claimed the Standards and Privileges committee -- which banned her from parliament for a month -- was too politicised.

Mrs Gorman added: "Far from protecting the reputation of the House, the committee is open to manipulation by a number of bodies."

She cited the case of Ken Livingstone, who, she said, had been reported to the committee by a disgruntled constituent, because "his face did not seem to fit''.

She said changes to the committee suggested in a report by Lord Neill had to come in if it was to maintain its independence.

These include a right to legal defence and a right of appeal to an independent body. Mrs Gorman was barred from the Commons in March after the committee found she had failed to declare business interests.

Her claims of political bias were dismissed by Graham Stringer, parliamentary secretary to the Cabinet Office.

He said: "I think it is an outrageous suggestion that there is manipulation of the committee. There's no evidence of that. They are un-warranted allegations. I hope she will withdraw them.''

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