Former Cabinet minister David Laws has told his local paper he will listen to the views of his constituents before deciding whether to stay in politics.

In his first newspaper interview since his shock resignation, Yeovil MP Mr Laws told the Western Daily Press he had not yet made up his mind whether or not to remain an MP.

The former Treasury Chief Secretary said: “The job as an MP is no less important to me than being in the Cabinet. I am sad that I have let down all these people in my constituency, particularly after being given such a huge mandate from them.

“I want to take time to sort these issues out. I will be listening to the people in my constituency to see what they think.”

“I need to make a judgement about what is right for the Yeovil constituency. I also have to explain myself to people.

“It is a huge honour to represent tens of thousands of people and I am incredibly sad at having let down those people. I wouldn’t want to do this job if I didn’t have the support of the people.”

Mr Laws, 44, who had been overseeing the coalition government’s efforts to reduce Britain’s crippling budget deficit, resigned on Saturday night over allegations he claimed £40,000 from the public purse to rent rooms from his partner.

He has referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, who will decide whether he has broken Parliamentary rules.

He told the WDP: “I feel a bit ashamed not to have set a better example to people who might have expected a bit more leadership from the top.

“To have enjoyed the job so much and relished it, and then to lose it, is very difficult. To be in there at the centre of the Treasury, promoting better decisions, not hurting key services and people on low incomes, was important to me. To not be part of that is very, very difficult.”

Comments

Ladywell (02/06/2010 12:18:22)
Mr. Law’s parents must take responsibility here, being the reason why he hid several aspects of this situation. A son’s desire not to upset his parents is commendable but sad in this case: he has lost everything because his parents’ love is apparently that conditional. I hope they can see what their rigidity about homosexuality has cost their excellent son.

Pedant (02/06/2010 13:04:46)
How does the WDP, which is made by staff in Plymouth, qualify as Mr Laws’ ‘local paper’?