Brentford & Isleworth MP Mary Macleod has said she is 'disappointed' by culture secretary Maria Miller's resignation from the cabinet over the expenses row.

Ms Macleod, who worked as a parliamentary aide for the under-fire Basingstoke MP, described Ms Miller as an 'excellent' culture secretary and said she should have been allowed to continue in her role.

"The commissioner and the parliamentary committee had dismissed the allegation and said she should have apologised to the House, which she did," said Ms Macleod. "The allegations were dismissed and she should have been allowed to continue in her role but public perception of MPs is not good generally, especially regarding expenses.

"I find it was unusual when allegations were dismissed for the media to continue stirring the story for several days.

"If you continue to hound someone for that length of time and bully the family as well those things aren't good."

Ms Macleod yesterday texted party colleagues saying she believed there was a 'media witch-hunt' against Ms Miller because of the work she has done on Leveson (Lord Leveson's inquiry into the press) and gay marriage.

Asked whether she would have apologised in the same way had she been the subject of the committee's report, she added: "It doesn't matter whether your apology lasts for five minutes or 10 seconds; what matters is whether you believe it. I believe she (Ms Miller) is a genuine person and meant everything she said."

Ms Miller was last week cleared by MPs on the House of Commons standards committee of acting improperly by declaring her London house, where her parents live with her, as her second home and claiming expenses on mortgage repayments for that property.

However, she was ordered to repay £5,800 she admitted over-claiming due to fluctuating interest rates and to apologise in the House of Commons for breaching the code of conduct through her obstructive attitude to the inquiry.

Critics were angry that MPs overturned the independent commissioner's recommendation for Ms Miller to repay £45,000. Their mood was not helped by Ms Miller's 30-second apology, which many felt was too brief given the serious nature of her breach of conduct.

Further fuel was added to the fire when the Daily Telegraph's former editor accused David Cameron's communications director Craig Oliver of threatening the paper over its investigation into Ms Miller's expenses.

Both Downing Street and Mr Oliver dismissed Tony Gallagher's claims, saying the Leveson inquiry was only brought up in relation to a reporter approaching Ms Miller's elderly father.

In her resignation letter to prime minister David Cameron this morning, Ms Miller said she was stepping down because: "...the present situation has become a distraction from the vital work this Government is doing to turn our country around."

This morning's resignation means Ms Macleod loses her role as parliamentary private secretary to Ms Miller, who has been replaced as culture secretary by Sajid Javid.

Feltham and Heston MP Seema Malhotra said: "This affair has had a negative impact on the perception of politicians. Maria Miller overclaimed under previous rules, but then refused to cooperate fully with the inquiry.

"Even in Prime Minister's questions, David Cameron refused to acknowledge what she had done wrong. Following the reshuffle and Cameron's choice of new Ministers, it is also now a shame that the number of women in the Cabinet has dropped to a fifteen year low.

"I absolutely believe we need a system which commands public confidence. We need reform so that people have faith that MPs are properly held to account."