Liam Fox quits as Defence Secretary

Liam Fox quits as Defence Secretary

www.bbc.co.uk

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has resigned after a week of pressure over his working relationship with friend and self-styled adviser Adam Werritty...

...The defence secretary has been under pressure since it emerged that Mr Werritty, a lobbyist, had met him on 18 foreign trips despite having no official role, and had been handing out business cards suggesting he was an adviser to Mr Fox.

Questions have also been raised about who paid for Mr Werritty's business activities...

(visit the link for the full news article)

This truly bizarre story has left many commentators frankly speechless. The minister of the UK government with responsibility for the armed forces has been caught engaging in overseas arms-related meetings / negotiations accompanied (eighteen times) by a personal friend, styling himself as a Personal Advisor to the Secretary of Defence, without so much as security clearance — never mind any connection to the government!

While the news broke over a week ago, it is only now that he has resigned. Every day has seemingly brought new revelations, the latest of which is that those who had donated money to a fund used to pay for Mr Werrity's travels believed they were contributing to a fund 'to promote peace and stability in the Middle East'!

In reality Mr Werrity has - it has emerged - links to the defence industry.

Mr Fox has now resigned, claiming he broke the ministerial code by 'creating the appearance of a conflict of interest'. Is that really all he has done? Many doubt it...



www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

About time too. He would have held onto his reputation if he had resigned a week ago,. But no he held on hoping this would go away, well it did not. The question should be asked what makes politicians think they are above public scrutiny. They are there to serve the public not their own interests.

Politicians are not there to serve public interests.
That's a fact.

It's a shame, this whole scandal. I rather liked Liam Fox, but this episode has sullied his "good" name (as much as a Politician can have one!).

I always thought that as Minsiter for Defence, it was good he is a former Army medic, so at least he has some experience of life in the forces. But he should have fallen on his sword a week ago.

reply to post by stumason


I agree his resignation has come late. And I don't agree with the commentators who are saying he is still in sufficiently good standing to come back as a government minister at some point in the future. It wouldn't particularly surprise me if he did, nevertheless...

As I see it his judgement is in very serious question, and good judgement is obviously one of the main qualifications of anyone wishing to hold high office. His behaviour over an extended period - behind the scenes - has been ludicrous.

The BBC has just reported that a Labour MP has asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate whether Adam Werritty should be charged with fraud.

Live Feed

reply to post by pause4thought


We will see if this will be another whitewash, Or the Cops will be paid to turn another blind eye. I can see that happening.

reply to post by AnonymousFem


Forgive me for saying that sounds rather cynical. Surely too much is already out in the open for a whitewash?

It could arguably actually go the other way: as more & more comes out, the investigation might widen!

reply to post by pause4thought


Going by the Phone Scandal Investigation, do you blame me for calling this out right away?

The Police have been guilty in the past for taking money, so what do you think it would not happen again.

But I will wait and see what happens, to see if my comments are proven right.

reply to post by AnonymousFem


Don't think I'm pooh-poohing your point. Scepticism is healthy, especially in the light of the events you refer to.

But short of a very deliberate, sustained cover-up, this may well snowball.

And if the Met were to fail in a big way, I dare say it would undermine public confidence in the police in a huge way.