David Laws
David Laws (born 1965) is a Liberal Democrat politician and former investment banker.
He was elected as MP for Yeovil in 2001, succeeding the former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, who was standing down.
Following the 2010 general election, he was one of the Liberal Democrat team negotiating the terms of the coalition with the Conservative Party. He was appointed to the Cabionet, as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. On 28 May 2010, The Daily Telegraph disclosed that Laws had claimed more than £40,000 on his expenses in the form of second home costs, from 2004 to late 2009,[1] during which time he had been renting rooms at properties owned by what the newspaper claimed to be his "secret lover" and "long-term partner", James Lundie. The Telegraph had not intended to reveal his sexual orientation, but Laws himself did so, in a public statement shortly before the publication of the story.[2] Lundie is a former Liberal Democrat Press officer and now works for the Political Affairs team of public relations and lobbying firm, Edelman.[3]
References
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8712383.stm "Treasury Minister David Laws apologises over expenses" BBC News 28 May 2010
- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/7780642/MPs-Expenses-Treasury-chief-David-Laws-his-secret-lover-and-a-40000-claim.html Holly Watt, and Robert Winnett "MPs' Expenses: Treasury chief David Laws, his secret lover and a £40,000 claim" Daily Telegraph 28 May 2010
- ↑ http://elections.edelman.co.uk/author/james-lundie/ "UK General Election 2010 - Author Archives" James Lundie, Edelmans
