Secretary of State for Wales, and British Conservative Party politician Alun Cairns has resigned after his former aide was accused of sabotaging a rape trial. The Welsh secretary reportedly denied knowing about it.
"This is a very sensitive matter, and in the light of continued speculation, I write to tender my resignation as Secretary of State", Cairns said in a letter to the British PM.
Welsh secretary Alun Cairns has resigned on the opening day of the election campaign.. pic.twitter.com/k1satPvTTN
— Dan O'Donoghue (@MrDanDonoghue) November 6, 2019
The statement comes after BBC Wales reported about an email sent to him by Geraint Evans, his special adviser in August 2018 mentioning the matter.
"I have spoken to Ross and he is confident no action will be taken by the court", the letter said as quoted by BBC Wales.
Former aide Ross England was reportedly suspended as a candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan and as an employee, last week after aspects of the court case appeared and the party claimed a "full investigation will be conducted".
Several politicians immediately called for Cairns to be removed as Welsh secretary and withdrawn as a general election candidate in relation to this rape trial.
Letter to PM Johnson: remove Alun Cairns from your cabinet and prevent his standing as candidate.
— Liz Saville Roberts (@LSRPlaid) November 5, 2019
The rape victim - a former Tory staffer - has called for Cairns’s resignation.
Surely her pleas come before this failure of a cynical, old-boys-network cover-up? pic.twitter.com/yfDXNQjCcf
