Wardle hits at `smear tactics'

BY COLIN BROWN

Chief Political Correspondent

Charles Wardle last night accused Government sources of mounting a campaign to discredit him as a "disappointed man" following his resignation.

The former junior trade minister told the Independent that a named ministerial source suggested he had left the Government over disappointment at being moved sideways to the Department of Trade and Industry from the Home Office by the Prime Minister in the reshuffle in July last year.

Yesterday, as he was given the support of his constituency, Mr Wardle said: "I was not heart-broken about finding myself in another department. This is not a case of a disappointed man... I may be old fashioned, but it is a matter of principle."

He said his resignation had nothing to do with a row with Michael Howard, the Home Secretary, over his refusal to grant British citizenship to Ali and Mohammed al-Fayed, the owner of Harrods.

There was bad blood between Mr Wardle, the former Home Office minister responsible for immigration, and the Home Secretary, over the applications. On the recommendation of immigration officials, Mr Wardle rejected the applications and was furious when he was ordered by Mr Howard to think again. The Home Secretary insisted that further advice on their proposed citizenship should be taken from the Bank of England and should not be decided on a damning Trade and Industry report on their purchase of Harrods.

Mr Wardle was moved sideways in the July reshuffle by John Major to the Department of Trade and Industry. Nicholas Baker, who took over as immigration minister, has taken over the case. But the Fayeds' applications for British citizenship are still undecided.