The fledgling coalition Government is counting the cost after the minister charged with slashing public spending quit over expenses abuses.
Treasury Chief Secretary David Laws became the coalition’s first casualty after it emerged he had channelled tens of thousands of pounds of public money in rent to his partner.
Announcing his departure, the Liberal Democrat said: “I do not see how I can carry out my crucial work on the Budget and spending review while I have to deal with the private and public implications of recent revelations.”
Prime Minister David Cameron praised millionaire Mr Laws as a “good and honourable man”, suggesting he could return to government “in time”.
And Lib Dem deputy PM Nick Clegg said the Yeovil MP’s downfall had been caused purely by his desire for privacy, which had now been “cruelly shattered”.
The loss of Mr Laws, after just 17 days in office, is a major setback for the Tory-Lib Dem coalition. He was a pivotal figure in negotiations between the parties after the inconclusive general election result and has since impressed Conservatives with the vigorous way he set about implementing spending curbs.
Mr Laws has been replaced by Danny Alexander, another key figure in coalition talks, who will now take centre stage in pushing through the Government’s drastic programme of cuts. His former role of Scottish Secretary has been taken by Lib Dem colleague Michael Moore.
In his resignation letter – much of which he read out in an extraordinary, emotional personal statement delivered at the Treasury on Saturday night – Mr Laws wrote: “While my recent problems were caused by my desire to keep my sexuality secret, the public is entitled to expect politicians to act with a sense of responsibility.
“I cannot now escape the conclusion that what I have done was in some way wrong, even though I did not gain any financial benefit from keeping my relationship secret in this way.”
He added: “I have pursued a political career because of my sense of public duty, but I have too often put this before the interests of those I love most. It is time to redress the balance.”
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