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Gay News: Former Chief Secretary resigned after it was revealed he had claimed expenses for renting a room from James Lundie, his male partner
By: Nigel Robinson
David Laws: not prepared to reveal relationship
David Laws: not prepared to reveal relationship
David Laws says he should have been open about being gay
Since 2006, MPs have been banned from claiming on rent paid to partners.
Up to that point the former Chief Secreatary to the Treasury had kept his sexuality secret from his family and his friends.
In a statement to the local media, the Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil said:
“My problems have been caused by my unwillingness to be open about my sexuality and not by any intention to exploit the MPs' expenses system.
“James Lundie and I were aware that we could have been far better off financially if I had been willing to be open about our relationship - but I was not.”
He went on to say:
'I grew up at a time when homosexuality had only just been legalised and when most people still thought it was wrong or shameful.
“I decided, therefore, to keep my sexuality secret, and the further time went on the more difficult it seemed to be to tell the truth.
“When the rules changed in 2006 to prevent MPs from renting from partners, I should probably have changed our arrangements.
“I could have done so without any financial cost, but getting a mortgage and buying a house together would have meant revealing our relationship - which I was not prepared to do.”
Mr Laws is reportedly gauging his constituents’ confidence in him as a local MP before deciding on his future.
Meanwhile the Sun newspaper has come under criticism for running a poll asking whether gay people should be allowed to become Cabinet ministers.
The poll which was conducted by You Gov avowed that out of the 958 polled 89% actively supported gay Cabinet Ministers, with only 5% saying that it was a bad thing.
