Former Tory MP Teresa Gorman, a leading rebel over the Maastricht Treaty in the 1990s, has died aged 83, her family said.

Ms Gorman trained as a teacher before being elected to represent Billericay in Essex in 1987, a seat she held until 2001.

She was a prominent figure in the rebellions over Europe that nearly brought down John Major's government - having the Conservative whip withdrawn for refusing to back the EC Finance Bill in 1994.

Regarded as a talented but maverick politician, Ms Gorman was also known for her public enthusiasm for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

In recent years she shifted her allegiance to Ukip, and voted for the party at the general election in May