MP resigns over Baroness Scotland UK visa row
September 23 2009 by Mark Johnstone
Stephen Hesford resigns over UK visa row
Labour MP Stephen Hesford has quit as a parliamentary aide after Attorney General Baroness Patricia Scotland was fined £5,000 for breaking UK immigration and employment laws.
Hesford, MP for Wirral West, has resigned as parliamentary private secretary to minister Vera Baird, citing his reason as "a personal honour situation".
In a letter to Gordon Brown, Hesford wrote:
"My decision comes about because as an aide to the Law Officers, whilst I have great personal regard for the Attorney General, I cannot support the decision which allows her to remain in office.”
Baroness Scotland was fined after her former Tongan housekeeper was found out as not eligible to work in the UK.
Gordon Brown backed Baroness Scotland following the decision by the UK Border Agency to fine her.
But members of the Labour and opposition parties have called for her resignation.
Cited on the BBC website, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said:
"Baroness Scotland made this law, she broke it, she can no longer credibly stay in her job," Mr Grayling said.
"The British people know it, Labour ministers know it. Is Gordon Brown the only person left in the country that thinks she should keep her job? He just doesn't get it."
See the latest Immigration News
