Can David Laws return to the cabinet in the future?
Last night's resignation of David Laws, the chief Secretary to the Treasury, is David Cameron's first real test in relation to the strength of his leadership. Despite David Cameron and Nick Clegg attempting to talk David Laws out of resigning, over an expenses issue, he believes this is the best course of action and will allow the government to tackle the budget deficit without outside issues playing a part.
His expenses issue resolves around an alleged £40,000 payment to a partner in rent which some believe to be against the spirit of the regulations. Whether or not David Laws has actually broken parliamentary expenses regulations remains to be seen, with an investigation ongoing, but the cloud of uncertainty has obviously had an impact upon his immediate outlook and he has fallen on his sword for the good of the government.
Just when UK taxpayers believed that the expenses scandal was well and truly buried it has again claimed a very high profile victim. David Cameron must now be praying that there are no more skeletons in the cupboard of his coalition government members as opposition leaders would obviously look to make as much political hay while the sun shines.
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