Conservative Shadow Justice Minister Eleanor Laing has won her vote of no confidence.

The attempt to remove the Epping Forest MP came after a district council leader gathered 50 signatures calling for her to go. Ms Laing said she would payback £25.000 in expenses after a metro expose, despite being cleared by Sir Thomas Legg’s enquiry.

She said she did not owe any money but felt honour bound to do so, sa.

Ms Laing was heavily criticised this summer for avoiding a £180,000 capital gains tax bill on the sale of two Westminster flats in 2008. She told the tax authorities that they were her principal residence, despite designating them as her second home for expenses purposes.

According to Iain Dale Ms Laing won the deselection vote by 164 votes to a mere 32, indicating the motivation to remove her as the local MP was something other than her expenses claims.