Laws steps down after expenses row
Treasury chief secretary decides to step down as the new government is rocked by expenses scandal
David Laws has resigned from his post as the second most senior Treasury
official in the wake of his expenses scandal.
The former chief secretary to the Treasury held the role for less than a
month and has now been replaced by Danny Alexander.
Laws won praise for his start at the Treasury, where he was in charge of
impsing proposed swingeing cuts to state spending, but his position was thought
to be untenable after revelations that he claimed up to £40,000 of 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”.