David Laws resigns over expenses claim

LONDON - Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Laws resigned from the coalition Cabinet on Saturday after revelations that he claimed 40,000 pounds of taxpayers’ money to pay rent to his boyfriend.

The Telegraph quoted government sources, as saying that the senior Liberal Democrat stepped down as parliamentary watchdogs continue investigating his expenses claims.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, were understood at first to have been willing to let Laws remain in his key post, at least over the weekend.

However, The Sunday Telegraph learned that at least two Lib Dem Cabinet ministers, Vince Cable and Chris Huhne, believed that the circumstances of Mr Laws’s parliamentary expenses claims “did not look good at all”. They suggested that he was left with no choice other than to step aside.

Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Danny Alexander will take over from Laws, a former banker. (ANI)