The BBC is reporting that David Laws has resigned as Chief Secretary to the Treasury after admitting he claimed £40,000 of expenses to pay rent to his partner. That was fast, I really did not see him going. I thought he would ride it out.
He quite deserved to go. He is a millionaire banker who had no need to be claiming public money to pay his partner’s mortgage.
Laws 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.
“I can’t escape the conclusion that what I did was somehow wrong.”
It wasn’t “somehow” Mr Laws simply wrong period. The cookie jar it seems is too tempting no matter how much money you have already made in a successful City career.
It is probably worth reminding people what Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said in the first TV election debate: “There are still people who haven’t taken full responsibility for some of the biggest abuses of the system.” He wasn’t making that up.
Laws will be replaced by Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Danny Alexander. No word yet on who will succeed him.
This Con Dem Coalition is having a rocky time of it, barely a month in and already one minister down. Next?