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Alun Cairns has dramatically quit as Welsh secretary after being accused of lying over an aide’s sabotaging of a rape trial.
The resignation plunges Boris Johnson ’s election campaign into deeper trouble, after the furore over Jacob Rees-Mogg ’s comments about Grenfell and a doctored video .
Mr Cairns had faced growing calls to quit after he claimed he had been unaware that evidence given by the aide, Ross England, led to the collapse of the case in Cardiff in April last year.
Last December, he endorsed Mr England’s candidacy to stand as assembly member for the Vale of Glamorgan.
However, the BBC then revealed that Mr Cairns had been alerted to the case by his special adviser in August last year.
An email sent to Mr Cairns by Geraint Evans, the adviser, said that he had spoken to Mr England and he was confident no further action would be taken against him for collapsing the trial.
Yet, only last week, the Conservatives had insisted “categorically” that Mr Cairns was “completely unaware of the details of the collapse of this trial until they became public”.
In a resignation letter to the prime minister, the cabinet minister wrote: “This is a very sensitive matter, and in light of continued speculation, I will tender my resignation as secretary of state for Wales.”
Mr Cairns made clear he intended to fight on as the Conservative candidate in the crucial marginal seat of Vale of Glamorgan, which he holds over Labour with a majority of just 2,190.
Show all 68 1 /68Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Tom Watson - Labour Deputy leader of the Labour party served as the member for West Bromwich since 2001. Earned a majority of 7,713 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Philip Hammond - Conservative Former chancellor served as the memmber for Runnymede and Weybridge from 1997. Earned a majority of 18,050 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ken Clarke - Independent Former chancellor served as the member for Rushcliffe from 1970. Mr Clarke served most of his term as a conservative before he had the whip withdrawn in September 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 8,010 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? John Bercow - Independent Former speaker of the commons served as the member for Buckingham from 1997. Mr Bercow served as a conservative until his election as speaker in 2009, a role that he retained until his resignation in October 2019
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Amber Rudd - Independent Former home secretary served as the member for Hastings and Rye from 2010. Ms Rudd served most of her term as a conservative before resigning the whip in October, citing concerns over the government's approach to Brexit. Earned a majority of 346 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Rory Stewart - Independent Former international development secretary served as the member for Penrith and The Border from 2010. Mr Stewart served as a conservative for most of his term until September 2019 when he had the whip withdrawn for voting against the government. Earned a majority on 15,910 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Vince Cable - Liberal Democrat Former leader of the Liberal Democrats served as the member for Twickenham between 1997-2015 and 2017-2019. Earned a majority of 9,726 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sir Oliver Letwin - Independent Former chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster served as the member for West Dorset from 1997. Mr Letwin served most of his term as a conservative before he had the whip withdrawn in September 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 19,091 in 2017
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? David Lidington - Conservative Former chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster served as the member for Aylesbury from 1992. Earned a majority of 14,696 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Nicky Morgan - Conservative Culture secretary served as the member for Loughborough from 2010. Earned a majority of 4,269 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Justine Greening - Independent Former education secretary served as the member for Putney from 2005. Ms Greening served most of her term as a conservative before she had the whip withdrawn in September 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 1,554 in 2017.
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Jo Johnson - Conservative Former universities minister served as member for Orpington from 2010. Mr Johnson is the brother of prime minister Boris Johnson. Earned a majority of 19,453 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Heidi Allen - Liberal Democrats Served as the member for South Cambridgeshire from 2015. From 2015 to March 2019 Ms Allen was a member of the Conservatives, leaving to form ChangeUK, which she left in October to join the Liberal Democrats. Earned a majority of 15,952 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ed Vaizey - Conservative Former sport minister served as the member for Wantage from 2005. Earned a majority of 17,380 in 2017.
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Nick Boles - Independent Former skills minister served as the member for Grantham and Stamford from 2010. Mr Boles served most of his term as a conservative before resigning the whip in April 2019 in protest of the government's approach to Brexit. Earned a majority of 20,094 in 2017
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Hugo Swire - Conservative Former commonwealth minister served as the member for East Devon from 2001. Earned a majority of 8,036 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Kate Hoey - Labour Prominent Laboour brexiteer served as the member for Vauxhall from 1989. Earned a majority of 20,250 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sir Alan Duncan - Conservative Served as the member for Rutland and Melton from 1992. Earned a majority of 23,104 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sir Nicholas Soames - Conservative Former armed forces minister served as the member for Mid Sussex from 1997, having previously served as member for Crawley from 1983. Though Mr Soames served the majority of his term as a conservative, he briefly had the whip removed from September-October 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 19,673 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Owen Smith - Labour Served as the member for Pontypridd from 2010. Challenged Jeremy Corbyn for leadership of the Labour party in 2016. Earned a majority of 11,448 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sir Michael Fallon - Conservative Former defence secretary served as the member for Sevenoaks from 1997, having previously served as the member for Darlington from 1983-1992. Earned a majority of 21,917 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Alistair Burt - Conservative Served as the member for North East Bedfordshire from 2001, having previously served as the member for Bury North from 1983-1997. Mr Burt served the majority of his term as a Conservative before having the whip removed in September 2019. He later had the whip restored shortly before resigning. Earned a majority of 20,862
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ross Thomson - Conservative Served as the member for Abedeen South from 2017, having previously served as the member for North East Scotland from 2016. Mr Thomson is standing down amid accusations that he sexually assaulted Labour MP Paul Sweeney. Earned a majority of 4,752 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ian Austin - Independent Served as the member for Dudley North from 2005. Mr Austin served most of his term as a Labour member before resigning in February 2019. Earned a majority of 22 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Jared O'Mara - Independent Served as the member for Sheffield Hallam from 2017. Mr O'Mara was suspended in October 2017 over offensive comments made online. Earned a majority of 2,125 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ronnie Campbell - Labour Served as the member for Blyth Valley from 1987. Earned a majority of 7,915 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Stephen Twigg - Labour Served as the member for Liverpool West Derby from 2010, having previously serve as the member for Enfield Southgate from 1997-2005. Earned a majority of 32,908 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Jim Fitzpatrick - Labour Served as the member for Poplar and Limehouse from 1997. Earned a majority of 27,712 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Nick Hurd - Conservative Former Northern Ireland minister served as the member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner from 2005. Earned a majority of 13,980 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Geoffrey Robinson - Labour Served as the member for Coventry North West from 1976. Earned a majority of 8,580 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Kevin Barron - Labour Served as the member for Rother Valley from 1983. Earned a majority of 3,882 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sir Patrick McLoughlin - Conservative Served as the member for Derbyshire Dales from 1986. Earned a majority of 14,327 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? David Tredinnick - Conservative Served as the member for Bosworth from 1987. Earned a majority of 18,351 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Ann Clywd - Labour Served as the member for Cynon Valley from 1984. Earned a majority of 13,238 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Jim Cunningham Served as the member for Coventry South from 1992. Earned a majority of 7,947 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Stephen Pound - Labour Served as the member for Ealing North from 1997. Earned a majority of 19,693 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Helen Jones - Labour Served as the member for Warrington North from 1997. Earned a majority of 9,582 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Guto Bebb - Independent Served as the member for Aberconwy from 2010. Mr Bebb served most of his term as a conservative before he had the whip withdrawn in September 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 635 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Caroline Spelman - Consevative Served as the member for Meriden from 1997. Earned a majority of 19,198 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Norman Lamb - Liberal Democrat Served as the member for North Norfolk from 2001. Earned a majority of 3,512 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Keith Simpson - Conservative Served as the member for Broadland from 2010, having previously served for Mid Norfolk between 1997-2010. Earned a majority of 15,816 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Mark Prisk - Conservative Served as the member for Hertford and Storford from 2001. Earned a majority of 19,035 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Claire Perry - Conservatives Served as the member for Devizes from 2010. Earned a majority of 21,136 in 2017
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Glyn Davies - Conservative Served as the member for Montgomeryshire from 2010. Earned a majority of 9,285 in 2017
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Roberta Blackman-Woods - Labour Served as the member for City of Durham from 2005. Earned a majority of 12,364 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Mims Davies - Conservative Served as the member for Eastleigh from 2015. Earned a majority of 13,238 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Teresa Pearce - Labour Served as the member for Erith and Thamesmead from 2010. Earned a majority of 10,014 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Joan Ryan - ChangeUK Served as the member for Enfield North from 2015. Ms Ryan was elected as a Labour MP before leaving to form ChangeUK in March 2019. Earned a majority of 10,247 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Jeremy LeFroy - Conservative Served as the member for Stafford from 2010. Earned a majority of 7,729 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Albert Owen - Labour Served as the member for Ynys Mon from 2001. Earned a majority of 5,259 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Seema Kennedy - Conservative Served as the member for South Ribble from 2015. Earned a majority of 7,421 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Adrian Bailey - Labour Served as the member for West Bromwich West from 2000. Earned a majority of 4,460 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? John Mann - Labour Served as the member for Bassetlaw from 2001. Earned a majority of 4,852 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Mark Field - Conservative Served as the member for Cities of London and Westminster from 2001. Earned a majority of 3,148 in 2017
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? David Simpson - Democratic Unionist Party Served as the member for Upper Bann from 2003. Earned a majority of 7,992 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Peter Heaton-Jones - Conservative Served as the member for North Devon from 2015. Earned a majority of 4,332 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sarah Newton - Conservative Served as the member for Truro and Falmouth from 2010. Earned a majority of 3,792 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Bill Grant - Conservative Served as the member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock from 2017. Earned a majority of 2,774 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Richard Harrington - Conservative Served as the member for Watford from 2010. Though Mr Harrington served the majority of his term as a conservative, he briefly had the whip removed from September-October 2019 for voting against the government. Earned a majority of 2,092 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Mark Lancaster - Conservatives Served as the member for Milton Keynes North from 2005. Earned a majority of 1,915 in 2017
Chris McAndrew
Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Gloria De Piero - Labour Served as the member for Ashfield from 2010. Earned a majority of 35,947 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Paul Farrelly - Labour Served as the member for Newcastle-under-Lyme from 2001. Earned a majority of 30 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Louise Ellman - Independent Served as the member for Liverpool Riverside from 1997. Ms Ellman served most of her term as a Labour member before resigning from the party in October 2019 citing concerns over antisemitism. Earned a majority of 35,947 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Sylvia Hermon - Independent Served as the member for North Down from 2001. Ms Hermon served as a Ulster Unionist Party member until 2010 when she stood as an independent. Earned a majority of 1,208 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Richard Benyon - Conservatives Served as the member for Newbury from 2005. Mr Benyon served the majority of his term as a Conservative before having the whip removed in September 2019. He later had the whip restored shortly before resigning. Earned a majority of 24,380 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Henry Bellingham - Conservative Served as the member for North West Norfolk from 2001. Earned a majority of 13,788 in 2017
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Which MPs are standing down at the general election? Nick Herbert - Conservatives Served as the member for Arundel and South Downs from 2005. Earned a majority at 23,883 in 2017
But Christina Rees, Labour’s shadow Welsh secretary, led calls for him to quit politics completely, calling the situation “a shoddy halfway house that will fool nobody”.
“He has still not explained his behaviour and still not addressed the grave issues raised by the leaked emails yesterday,” Ms Rees said.
“Worse still, neither he nor any senior Welsh Tory have apologised to one person who most deserves it – the victim herself. He should do the right thing – apologise, and step down as a candidate.”
Mr England was suspended as a candidate by the Conservatives last week. The defendant was convicted at a retrial and jailed for five years.
The victim had called for Mr Cairns to go, saying: “I can’t believe that not one senior Welsh Conservative has said that what he did was wrong.”
In his letter, Mr Cairns added: “I will cooperate in full with the investigation under the ministerial code which will now take place and I am confident I will be cleared of any breach or wrong doing.
“I will continue to work to support your vision and ambitions for the country and am grateful for the honour of serving in your cabinet.”
Mr Johnson praised his “unstinting record of service to the party in the Wales with over a decade as assembly member for South Wales West”.
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