Top UK Minister Resigns Ahead of Police Inquiry

Cabinet member steps down amid yet another fundraising scandal
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 24, 2008 7:55 AM CST
Top UK Minister Resigns Ahead of Police Inquiry
Britain's new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, fourth from left, holds his first Cabinet meeting at London's 10 Downing Street, Thursday, June 28, 2007. Minister attending the Cabinet meeting seen from top left, clockwise, Ruth Kelly, Des Browne, Sir Gus O'Donnell, (Cabinet Secretary), Prime Minister Gordon...   (Associated Press)

A leading minister in Gordon Brown's cabinet resigned today after UK police announced they were opening an investigation into his failure to disclose over $200,000 in donations. Peter Hain raised the money to contest an internal Labour Party election for deputy leader, which he lost. This is the third major police investigation into Labour fundraising, after the cash-for-honors scandal and alleged secret donations by a reclusive millionaire.

Hain, who was born in Nairobi and made his name as an anti-apartheid activist, held two cabinet positions, as secretary for work and pensions and for Wales. Brown will announce a cabinet reshuffle later today and may appoint two people to fill the jobs. The PM had denied allegations of sleaze in the Hain fiasco, but called the failure to disclose donations "an incompetence." (More Peter Hain stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X