David Laws resigns

GeoffH

Terrible news.

How are we ever going to get and keep the really talented people into government with the gutter press we have in this country?

immcintyre

What a pathetic operation by The Telegraph. And what a waste of a fine mind.

Richard of York

Hardly anyone gives a toss if he is gay.....its the lack of judgement and duplicity that people care about.
Imagine if it had been a Labour minister would you be calling for their head?
Yes and you know it.
Being gay is not a choice....being a liar is.

perdix

I have been open to The Telegraph's views on CGT, but now I hope that if Huhne gets the post he will stick it to them on the tax. There's a bit of smell of homophobia about this.

BigAl

RoY
Perhaps you can let GB know about the lying bit.

Right On

I think in truth Laws had to go, shame though it is.

On the other hand the Daily Telegraph has done far more damage to the view of politics in this country than even the worst of offenders in the expenses scandal.

The self-rightenous of the Telegraph and frankly a huge chunk of the British people defies belief. Add to that the manner in which the Telegraph continues to drip feed information in the most sensationalist manner is pathetic and needs to stop.

Tiberius

With his emotional state (and not being a shameless New Labour disciple) I suppose he couldn't find the strength to carry on, assuming the report is true. Tragic.

Huhne? I can only hope your second paragraph is right, David. I trust Cameron, Clegg and Osborne have left him in no doubt about the job description.

Austin Barry

Rinka's revenge?

Richard of York

It's the Telegraph's fault defence......they were flavour of the month all the time it was Labour MP's being exposed....hypocrites!
Papers only publish the story not create them in the first place.

djw2009

I agree that it is a pathetic ground to demand a minister's resignation - and I disagree with all these committees on standards. The ultimate referees should be the voters. But I suppose if it destabilizes Cameron's coalition, it will ultimately be all to the good.

Dennis Churchill

Nothing to do with any “Gay Hunt”—he was revealed as fiddling expenses. Worse was the revelation about his judgement and it would seem that of a large proportion of our political class.
The Telegraph has all the records. It probably has linked the information to politicians’ biographies on its files. Any politician who becomes front page news will be checked.
They fiddle (relatively) pennies and can’t do a Cost/Benefit analysis of the consequences.
The public has had enough of being preached at by a political class that has been shown to be both incompetent and dishonest. They are keen enough to pass laws –they now need to learn, in our system, they have to obey them. No wonder they want us to be more “European.”

Nick

Here we go. It's a gay witch hunt.

Nope. It's a hunt against those fiddling money.

Next one. It's the Telegraph that's to blame.

No it isn't. It's those who fiddle expenses who are to blame. It's parliament for not acting. It's Laws for waiting until found out and them comes clean.

djw2009

Key point: a "gay" boyfriend is not a spouse. It is this left-wing attempt to destroy marriage that means that these sorts of relationships are being defined as similar to marriage, and hence relationships that preclude the financial circumstances that Laws found himself in. Ultimately, he ought to come out in favour of a libertarian right to do what he wants in his own bedroom, but opposed to the fanaticism of the gay rights lobby (and its outposts on the Speccie and the DT) and thus underline clearly a "gay" boyfriend is absolutely not a "spouse".

Kirsty Richards

This is NOT an anti gay witch hunt by the media. If gays want equality fine, but it has to be equal rights not special rights. End of.

logdon

"I feel he has been the victim of a media gay-hunt that belongs to a bygone era."

Total rubbish! Where's your evidence?

Alcazar

Get a grip folks. This has nothing to do with homophobia - it has to do with stealing from the taxpayer. He should have resigned immediately - as should many others who were caught with their greedy snouts in the trough.

Tarquin Superbus

No, Richard, at the end of the day, it's the Conservative Party's fault. The Tory Party has now lost him twice; once, he would have been a natural Tory and twice, the loss of an obviously talented minister.

Poetic, in a dark way - the Conservative Party lost Laws ultimately because of Section 28 - we sowed the wind, and now we reap the whirlwind.

strapworld

An honourable man. Name me one Labour politician that resigned over expenses! Name me a conservative politician that resigned (NOT sacked).

The bigots have won.

This is a very sad day.

Hopefully when he is cleared by the Standards Commissioner he will get the job back.

But Danny Alexander? I think he is in Clegg's team as was Laws so the Gladstonian effect will be the same.

Mr Laws was wrong. But I support him and wish him well.

Tiberius

Danny Alexander to take over as Chief Sec, reports BBC.

Peter From Maidstone

He's stolen two year's salary for a worker like me. It has nothing to do with him engaging in homosexual acts. He can choose to do both or not, but it is the theft which is worse in this case.

jaybs

It was a error of judgement by David Laws and sadly he has paid the price for it, though many others who behaved much more badly over expenses never received the personal attacks he has. I hope in time he can return David has so much to offer.

If it is not homophobia lets see if his personal life is left to just be that!

MK

Gutted about this. Laws was perfect that role.

Low blow by the Telegraph - the issue was marginal - a personal attack because they don't like the CGT proposals.

TomTom

the victim of a media gay-hunt>

Obviously we should not expect standards of probity from David Laws, he is too busy focused on his sexuality.

That is what your commentary implies. Such a pity being gay makes him insensitive to public opinion as he publicises "austerity"

Andrew SW18

Another brilliant stroke by the Telegraph and its Barcking proprietors, and a classic example of "penny wise, pound foolish".

They have successfully axed a man who mis-accounted for a few thousands of pounds, but would have given enormous political cover to the elimination of billions from the coming deficits.

That a gay politician is outed and hounded is presumably just a little extra happy ending for these odious hypocrites.

AG

I hate the Telegraph for this in the same way that I hate the Times for outing Nightjack.
These papers have put their own needs before that of the country and I'm going to try the Independant now.
David Laws gave confidence and hope to those of us that believe that Labour's debt is a monster that may yet destroy us.
I wanted him to stay and be forgiven.
I will not have another Alan Turing on my consience.
How many of us are whiter than white, even I've had a parking ticket!

logdon

Richard of York
May 29th, 2010 7:44pm

For the first and probably the last time I agree with RoY.

The idiocy shown on this post is why the Tories languished in the pit for twelve years.

And even against, by Labours own standards the most hated man in Britain, could not manage a clean win.

It's about the money. Who in this day and age cares about his gayness?

Many years ago in the early Eighties a girlfriend moved in with me. She'd been a student claiming HB on her previous accommodation and then without telling me, transferred this to my flat, even though she lived free.

Next thing an HB officer came round to check on her living space. We had to hastily place a sleeping bag on the sofa, claiming that this was where she slept.

Pathetic and even worse when HB lady asked if I was in the habit of, 'letting my sofa out to young ladies'. Quite rightly the benefit was refused.

This falls into the same category but worse. Said girlfriend, although I vehemently disagreed with her ruse was impoverished, had no job at the time and had no money.

Laws is fabulously wealthy and has not the slightest need to carry out this farrago of deception. He's living with his boyfriend. He's paying said boyfriend rent. He's then claiming that back out of taxpayer funding.

Come on! The whole thing stinks.

Snowman

The DT may think the resignation may derail the CGT rate adjustment. If anything, it may make it more likely, the two boys will resent the underhand blow.

Anoneumouse

Wind up or a wind-up or just an Eastleigh breeze

logdon

PFM

Too bloody right!

But let me say, I would like this coalition to work. From its inception el-Beeb, the Guardian and the Independent have behaved appallingly, slagging, finding fissures, acting as if their fave rave Labour was robbed of sure victory.

Thursdays QT for instance, featuring both Campbell and Piers Morgan was a sheer insult to licence payers intelligence and Neil's following show just as bad.

That's after a few mere weeks! It is pathetic tribalism of the worst kind but this is of another stripe.

The man is now proved to be a trougher of the worst kind. I don't give one hoot about his being gay, he is a thief.

A reverse Robin Hood stealing from the poor to benefit the rich, i.e. himself.

I also don't care how good (or bad) he is as a politician, he has transgressed and has quite rightly gone.

In his defence I add, he's 'fessed up and departed with far more grace than any of the Labour kleptocrats who still, to this day do not get it.

Let this thing die. It's over. Move on. Nothing more to see.

Mycroft

I agree with the people above who are hoping that Laws' replacement will stuff the Telegraph on their anti-CGT campaign!

As for those who say that the Telegraph was just revealing the truth about the matter, why do they not ask themeselves why they revealed it just now. Filthy politics behind this.

By the way, I do think he has acted wrongly and was right to resign (though much less wrongly than many who have not resigned); but I can well imagine that if I had been in his situation I may have done the same. Some of the snide comments in this place will show very well why.

As for the great British public, I know very well from some of my work what standards of honesty prevail among them; I wonder how many of the people here who are railing at the venality of politicians have, for instance, fiddled insurance claims. Caliban seeing himself in the mirror I suspect.

Victor Southern

R.O.Y. there was not a time at which the Telegraph was revealing the sins of Labour MPs only. There was much chortling about duck houses and bell towers and moats. None of those recipients are to stand trial for theft - 4 labour MPs, the Tory Chief of Essex Council are charged and there will shortly be formal charges brought gainst a 5th Labour MP and perhaps then a 6th.

The issue here is not that he is gay, or a LibDem, or a member of the Coalition but that he committed some extraordinary manoeuvres over expenses. That cannot be tolerated in a Minister. The fact that Labour Ministers resigned only occasionally and without apology, except in one single case, cannot be the model for Parliamentary propriety.

those who troll here abut how this thread shows what sods the Tories are are ignoring the fact that all of the blogs I have seen today, of whatever stripe, have called for Laws to go in their comment threads.

Jez

Let's get this straight.

When Lord Levy was under the spot light a few years back, he automatically said it was anti-semitism that was driving the allegations.

It wasn't (as an opinion). It was because people had accused him of underhand 'elitist w*nker type' behaviour.

And he was cleared for the record.

This guy, Laws (who no-one knew existed 3 weeks ago) hasn't been 'busted' because he's a homosexual.

Who gives a f*ck about that?

It's because he's been carrying out elitist w*nker type behaviour- and (coincidently) he's in joint charge of a G7 economy.

Time to sort your lives out d*ckheads?

Believe it or not, the Tory's and Lib-Dem's have now touched down in the 'big time'..... and anything that can damage these lot *will* be regurgitated by the media elite, to further themselves only-

because that's only what the elites do.

Is it becos I is Gay?

This is the polar opposite of a gay witch hunt. He is obviously getting a soft landing because he is gay. If he had passing this to his secret girlfriend, the media would be far less merciful. Have the Spectator writers lost their collective minds on this one?

Dimoto

Just a couple of points of fact:

1) Laws was guilty of a technical breach of the rules, HE WAS NOT "RIPPING OFF THE TAX PAYER". He was entitled to considerably more.
2) Neither the duck house nor the moat were allowed. Incredible that some are still trotting out this old chestnut.

Some seem to think that the Telegraph is still the Torygraph. They don't seem to have noticed that it is owned by Brown's chums.

TrevorsDen

I am glad more people are coming round to my view about the useless activities of The Telegraph.

Don't buy it.

It has crudely tabloidised the whole expenses saga.

Julie A Hunt

I am so very sad to here this news, my heart sank.

john henry

Cheerio Laws. You came and went. Now you've got time to spend your Bankers millions that many people that you would have Con-Demned to misery and the dole have not got. What a silly little man with a double first at Cambridge you are. Obviously a double last in decency and common sense. A cheap fraudster.

When will the Lib Dems learn? Still going to be doing the Tories Dirty Axe Work at The Treasury with the appointment of the Scottish buffoon, Alexander.

Laws is the Tory "sacrificial lamb" on the high alter of Tory Filthy Lucre. The Tories are never going to accept the raising of CTto Income Tax levels. This story appearing in The Telegraph when it has is proof of the depths to which the Tories will plumb to defend the interests of those who stand to lose from this policy, AND the scrapping of the lowering of the Inheritance Tax threshold enforced on the Tories by the coalition with the Lib Dems. They didn't vote Conservative to get that! Money talks and "kills" those who get in the way of it. I'm looking forward to the next round of Telegraph revelations on a stupid Lib Dem MP.

Get out of the coalition now is my advice those Lib Dems who can still see sense in not being aligned with the Conservatives!!. It will end in tears. Bucket loads.

Paul C

How is claiming a large amount of money in expenses supposed to hide a gay relationship? I don't see the connection between the two. The claim is fraudulent whichever way you look at it. Did he not see the hypocrisy in taking on a job to control expenses for the country as a whole?

TheHammerThatKilledJohnHenry

@ John Henry.

You sound like a net recipient of state largesse. F**** the country, eh? All those those Filthy Rich Tories, eh?

Well, I'm a Tory and a chippy (a c-a-r-p-e-n-t-e-r), and I don't have any lucre, Filthy or otherwise.

(Are you, incidentally, a fan of the blues? A bit of Mississipi John Hurt, perhaps? Or Joe Bonamassa?)

Marcher Baron

"I feel he has been the victim of a media gay-hunt that belongs to a bygone era." You may feel that, David, but I'm sure it's because he claimed money he wasn't entitled to - over some time as well. He wasn't a victim at all, except of his own cupidity. If he wanted to keep his sexuality a secret, he need not have claimed any rent at all. Note that his claims for utilities were reduced from round figures of £100 to £37 when receipts were required! If it had been someone in industry, or a benefits claimant, doing the same thing they would have been prosecuted. Let's have one rule for all, irrespective of sexuality. We had enough of sleaze in the last government. Thank goodness the man was honourable enough to resign.

john henry

What a moronic response to my post from "The Hammer That Killed John Henry".
M-O-R-O-N-I-C.
Is that the extent of your contribution to this debate/discussion about David Laws "trousering" public money to give to his partner then saying it was to conceal his sexuality? Pathetic!
I am not in receipt of state welfare. I actually own a business and work hard for my money thank you very much. Do you?
It seems as if your beloved Tories have "shafted" David Laws as one the Lib Dem conditions for forming a coalition was the raising of CGT to Income Tax levels to pay for the raising of the Income Tax threshold to £10,000 ( A Lib Dem pledge) PLUS the scrapping of the lowering of the Inheritance Tax threshold; a Tory Manifesto pledge. And Conservative voters didn't vote Tory to get that, did they?
You appear to be an uneducated moron who cannot make any valuable contribution to an important event that has occurrred in the public life of this country.
For you in your situation to be a Tory voter would be like a Turkey voting for Christmas; idiotic.
Why don't you kill yourself with your hammer. Although we need carpenters to make our cupboards, we'll manage without you. Just do it!

maxy

How come David Laws who up until the results of the general election was relatively unknown and invisible has within the past few days being been mourned as an irreplacable member of the cabinet. Will the government really fall apart. Or is it the case that a lot more dirt is due to come out on MP's

Jez

john henry;

"Why don't you kill yourself with your hammer. Although we need carpenters to make our cupboards, we'll manage without you. Just do it!"

Haaaaaaa Ha Ha Ha Ha.... HA!!!

On a morning i've switched on my news package and tuned into what could possibly the opening phases of armageddon out there in the middle-east (differing in severity from low panic; Fox, SKY, BBC, Frog news, RTN, Al Jazeera... right up to; 'jump in the bunker now!' Press TV), then that has very much cheered me up!

Well done Chippy and Mr henry!

;) x

SteamHammer

@ John Henry.

LOL! You can forget about a debate. You forfeited any right to a debate as soon as you paraded your diseased world-view for all to see, you silly muppet.

I'm a Tory because I believe in a small state and individual responsibility. My point about being a chippy is to demonstrate that not all Tories are Filthy or Rich or Toffs - not very difficult really. Of course, no doubt you will now add Working Class Tory Moron Scum to your unhealthy mental topography, hahaha!

As for turkeys/Christmas (such a cliche), how many tradesmen work in the public sector?

The only reason I responded to your original drivel is because I wondered if your name was a reference to an old story that crops up from time to time in blues songs - The Ballad Of John Henry. Clearly this is not the case. (I'm not surprised - unenlightened and uncultured.)

Save your puerile bleating and return forthwith to The Mirror, where you should find yourself amongst friends. Toodle Pip!!

Paddy

You can't blame the Telegraph.

We need "to know" even if it is unpalatable.

You're sounding like Campbell and Mandelson now!

For Gods sake it's taken 13 years to get rid of this "shower". Don't shoot the messenger.

Sarah

The rich just don't get it. It's not the amount, it's the principle. If we falsely claim benefits, no matter how poor or desperate, we get put in prison. If we make a mistake on our tax return, we get fined. When a politician robs the tax payer of thousands of pounds, they loose their job. It's pathetic. Throw all the thieving crooks in jail.