Billericay: Gorman banished from the Commons

However, local Tory chiefs have sought to reassure residents that they will continue to be represented in parliament by other Essex Conservative MPs.

MPs were unanimous in the view Mrs Gorman should be suspended.

They waved the four week penalty through without taking a vote after the maverick MP told the Commons she was "muddled" rather than dishonest.

It is the longest ban imposed on an MP since new rules on their conduct were introduced in the 1980s.

However, Malcom Buckley, chairman of the Billericay Conservative Association, said moves to suspend or eject Mrs Gorman from the Tory party locally had never been contemplated.

He said: "We are disappointed she has been suspended and deprived of her ability to represent the people in her constituency.

"Quite obviously it is a handicap but we are confident that where an issue does need to be raised one of Mrs Gorman's Conservative colleagues will raise it on her behalf."

The Commons met yesterday to debate the findings of parliamentary watchdog, the standards and privileges committee. The 11-strong committee found Mrs Gorman failed to register properties in London and Portugal.

It also ruled she gave "seriously misleading" information about connections with offshore companies with the "intention to deceive" and "improperly contacted witnesses".

Speaking to a crowded Commons, Mrs Gorman admitted she handled matters "less than satisfactorily" but denied she was a liar.

The MP also railed against press coverage examining her relationship with long-time husband, Jim.

She declared: "I do strongly resent the amount of intrusion on my husband.

"He is not one of us. He was, once upon a time, a very private person."

Mrs Gorman was also criticised by the standards committee for introducing a Ten Minute Rule Bill in 1990 which involved repealing the Rents Act.

In doing so she failed to register or declare her financial interest in the topic - her properties in London.

Mrs Gorman said: "I can see that I have handled the matters less than satisfactorily. Of course, I could have done better but I do draw the line at being called a liar, which the report states. I find that offensive and quite unnecessary."

Mrs Gorman admitted she gave the standards commissioner, Elizabeth Filkin, a confused account.

She said: "I don't consider that the answers I gave her were dishonest but I do admit that some of them were very muddled.

"If I thought I had an interest to declare why would I not have registered that interest and if I had something to hide why would I introduce a bill in the first place?"

She added: !Nowadays, you are in danger of being in difficulty if you don't register a doughnut when you've had one at some entertainment or other."

Mrs Gorman said she hoped MPs would "learn lessons" from her experience at the hands of the committee.

She wants the system of investigating MPs to be reformed including the right to appeal and help in hiring legal defence.

Teresa punishment severe, claim Tories

Senior Tories today said the decision to suspend Mrs Gorman for a month was "disproportionately severe."

MP Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle) asked: "Is it correct that she should be so severely punished because of her behaviour?

"The fact is she is a combative and zany lady and I have known a great many combative and zany ladies in the course of my life.

"Indeed I rather like combative and zany ladies and I particularly like Mrs Gorman who is a woman of courage and integrity and patriotism with no malice in her at all.''

Others supported the suspension decision but expressed doubts about the investigation process.

Labour MP Alan Williams (Swansea West), deputy chairman of the Standards and Privileges committee, said it was "unpleasant" to have to suspend a "long-term parliamentary colleague".

He said Mrs Gorman's defence rested on a previously unpublicised agreement with her husband that meant he was the sole beneficiary of income from her properties.

But the committee had found overwhelming evidence to suggest the agreement was not put into practice. Mr Williams added: "It is beyond dispute that she remained joint legal owner of the three properties until they were eventually sold.''

Labour's Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow) told MPs he was ''extremely uneasy'' because he had been investigated by the standards committee 25 years ago after ''talking very freely'' to a journalist about chemical and biological weapons.

He said: ''This is a matter for the courts and it should remain in the courts rather than the House of Commons. I am against any committee of this House setting itself up as a court of law in the light of personal experience.''

Conservative MP Sir George Young said although the original offence was minor, a "smokescreen descended'' on the committee as it investigated.

Mr Young said that Mrs Gorman had not accepted the verdict, cast aspersions on the neutrality of the committee and not expressed any regret - when, if she had, the House "would have been generous and forgiving''.

He added: "I have to say I think the proceedings were fair, I think the committee was painstaking in its deliberations and I support the verdict and the sentence.''

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