MP Eleanor Laing has been elected as the new deputy speaker in the House of Commons.

It was announced shortly after 4pm that the bookmakers’ favourite secured the job following a vote by her fellow MPs.

The Epping Forest MP will now be earning £102,000 a year as the position commands a salary of £36,360, which will be added to her standard wage.

The battle to become one of Speaker John Bercow's three deputies was hotly contested by Conservatives including Nadine Dorries and former transport minister Simon Burns.

The position was made vacant when Nigel Evans resigned after being charged with sex offences.

The role dictates that Mrs Laing will no longer take part in partisan politics in Westminster, although she is free to express views on issues in her constituency. 

Mrs Laing came under fire in 2009 when it was revealed that she had avoided a £180,000 capital gains tax bill by registering her ‘second home’ in London as her primary residence.

At the time, Mrs Laing pledged to pay back £25,000 “within months”, but denied that she had done anything wrong.

Mrs Laing has failed to respond to Guardian's requests for an interview.