The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog


Adviser quits, Hague reveals Ffion miscarriages

William Hague issues highly personal remarks . . .

William Hague's adviser Christopher Myers has chosen to resign from the government after bizarre internet allegations about the nature of his relationship with the Foreign Secretary.

Hague has issued a dramatic statement this afternoon saying that "untrue" rumours have led Myers to go, because of pressure on his family after it was claimed that he had shared a hotel room with Hague during the general election campaign.

But in a further twist this afternoon, Hague made some highly personal remarks in his statement, revealing that he and his wife, Ffion, have suffered "multiple miscarriages" trying to start a family.

Mrs Hague is standing by her husband.

The internet rumour is being seen as a legitimate news story by some outlets because of Hague's past conservative political positions on homosexuality, including Section 28. Hague also came to the defence of the high-flying Conservative candidate Philippa Stroud, an adviser to Iain Duncan Smith, who founded a church that claimed to "cure" gay people.

At first, Westminster was taken aback that Hague had apparently decided to "give legs" to the story by issuing a statement via the Foreign Office yesterday denying the rumours and today allowing his adviser to resign. But his statement is being met with sympathy this afternoon.

However, Westminster observers were asking tonight why Myers has resigned if the allegations are "untrue".