David Laws has fallen

[PanzerJaeger]

Hmm ... it seems that he paid his partner rent ... and then claimed it as an expense ... and somehow that's wrong. Your guess is as good as mine.

I mean, if rent is claimable, then what's the problem? And if rent is not a claimable expense, then it hardly matters to whom or why he paid it.

Indeed. The associated article consisted mostly of David Cameron and Nick Clegg talking about what an great guy he is, what a good job he's doing, and how they wanted him back as soon as possible. It also mentioned that he did not gain financially from whatever transpired. Certainly in modern Britain someone wouldn't be run out of office for being gay....

[Tellos Athenaios]

The associated article talks about “revelations in the Daily Telegraph”; which one can look up fairly easily. Their take on the news: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...ses-claim.html

[Lemur]

Thank you Tellos, that makes things much clearer. It's yet another MP naughty expense story, much like the dude who claimed his moat cleaning. Here's the salient part:

[Laws] claimed as much as £950 a month in parliamentary expenses for eight years to rent rooms in two London properties.

The houses were owned by his partner, James Lundie, a political lobbyist. In 2006, MPs were banned from “leasing accommodation from a partner”.

So really it's got jack-all to do with being gay, and everything to do with claiming a rent paid to a "partner," which is against the rules.

[Beskar]

[Laws] claimed as much as £950 a month in parliamentary expenses for eight years to rent rooms in two London properties.

The houses were owned by his partner, James Lundie, a political lobbyist. In 2006, MPs were banned from “leasing accommodation from a partner”.

So really it's got jack-all to do with being gay, and everything to do with claiming a rent paid to a "partner," which is against the rules.

Indeed. He wasn't ran out of office for being homosexual. We aren't America, you know.

[PanzerJaeger]

We aren't America, you know.

Unnecessary and inaccurate.

[Beskar]

Unnecessary and inaccurate.

I watched that Top Gear episode and read the press when Senators have "came out", they usually are not re-elected after that.

[PanzerJaeger]

I watched that Top Gear episode and read the press when Senators have "came out". They usually are not re-elected after that.

The Top Gear episode was staged. It's all staged, didn't you know? Great show, but I wouldn't use it as a barometer of American attitudes. Clarkson isn't fond of us.

The problem Americans have with gay politicians is when they have wives and children.

[Banquo's Ghost]

So really it's got jack-all to do with being gay, and everything to do with claiming a rent paid to a "partner," which is against the rules.

Correct. Although it is rather sad that an MP still feels that he ought to hide his sexuality, it has no bearing on why he has had to resign. He made an extremely foolish mistake, and given that he is rather well off whilst having the job of cutting public expenditure harshly - costing many people their jobs - his position was untenable.

The really refreshing thing is that here we have a man who, realising he'd been an idiot, resigned promptly. Without weeks of excuses, lies, evasion and craven begging. Without leaving claw marks on the door jambs of his office. Unheard of.

[Furunculus]

This is a great shame.

Laws had the most urgent and most unpopular job in government; that of slashing public spending, and he was doing a thoroughly excellent job of implementing this as far as i am aware.

I am also willing to accept that he genuinely did do this to protect his private life, and not for financial gain.

It does say something about the typical attitude that the Cons are intolerant whereas the lib-dems are all progressive and tolerant, but regardless i hope to see Laws back in government soon.

[Beskar]

It does say something about the typical attitude that the Cons are intolerant whereas the lib-dems are all progressive and tolerant, but regardless i hope to see Laws back in government soon.

Why are the lib-dems being attacked because he wanted to be private about his homosexuality? It was probably to hide it from his parents and family friends or somesuch.

[Furunculus]

It is just comically sad that he rejected the offer to become a Tory MP because he felt they had an insufficient balance of social liberalism to go along with the economic liberalism, and thus chose to be a Lib-Dem MP instead, only to be the first Lib-Dem Minister of Government ousted from power in 100 years because fear of insufficient social liberalism prevented him from being honest about his sexuality.

[Pannonian]

Thank you Tellos, that makes things much clearer. It's yet another MP naughty expense story, much like the dude who claimed his moat cleaning. Here's the salient part:

[Laws] claimed as much as £950 a month in parliamentary expenses for eight years to rent rooms in two London properties.

The houses were owned by his partner, James Lundie, a political lobbyist. In 2006, MPs were banned from “leasing accommodation from a partner”.

So really it's got jack-all to do with being gay, and everything to do with claiming a rent paid to a "partner," which is against the rules.

Isn't that fraud?