Page "Shirley Porter" Paragraph 1

While leader of Westminster City Council she oversaw the " Building Stable Communities " policy, later described as the " homes for votes " scandal and was consequently accused of gerrymandering.

The policy was judged illegal by the district auditor, and a surcharge of £ 27m levied on her in 1996.

This was later raised to £ 42 million with interest and costs.

She eventually settled in 2004, paying a full payment of £ 12. 3 million.

Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor of London, described it as one of the greatest post-war political scandals and said: " The highest court in the land found her guilty of gerrymandering.

There isn't a much worse offence than that in politics.

It is definitely up there in the hall of infamy.

" Writing in The Spectator in 2006, author and journalist Leo McKinstry described her as " the high priestess of Tory sleaze ," whose actions helped to " undermine the reputation of the Conservative party in the 1990s and pave the way for the arrival of Tony Blair.