Gay Lib Dem MP David Laws ‘could make cabinet comeback’
Liberal Democrat MP David Laws could return to the cabinet this autumn, political commentators believe.
Mr Laws resigned from the cabinet in May after it was revealed he had broken Commons rules by using expenses to pay rent to his male partner.
He claimed he had wanted to keep his homosexuality secret.
According to Mail on Sunday writer James Forsyth, the coalition government is testing the water to see how his return might be received.
Mr Forsyth wrote: “Laws is now expected to return to government soon. He was at a recent gathering of Clegg confidants to discuss political strategy and feelers have been put out to see how the media would react to his returning this autumn after the spending review is completed.”
Mr Laws’ expenses claims are currently under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.
He claimed £40,000 in second home allowance to rent rooms from his long-term partner James Lundie, while his claims for utility, telephone and other household bills may also be scrutinised.
Mr Laws was Chief Secretary to the Treasury for just over two weeks but was seen as impressive in the role. A poll by Tory blog ConservativeHome shortly before he stood down ranked him as the most-respected Liberal Democrat MP.
However, Tim Montgomerie, the editor of ConservativeHome, wrote today: “I’ve … heard reports that David Laws was quite depressed by his weekend at the centre of national attention. He may be very reluctant to quite so quickly immerse himself, once more, in the media cauldron.”
