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The Strange Case of William Hague


John Simkin

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A few years ago I was told by a leading figure in the Labour Party that they had a story on William Hague that would destroy his political career. The problem was that the Conservatives had stories on leading Labour politicians, this included one very damaging account of Charles Clarke, who was at the time was Home Secretary. It seems the two leading parties in the UK collect damaging information on opposition politicians. This is traded off against each other. In this way, most of these damaging stories are kept out of the press. However, Clarke and other Labour party politicians are now retired and this gives them to leak stories about the current government.

On 31st August, Guido Fawkes posted on his Blog the following story about William Hague:

Guido has ascertained confirmation that for at least one night during the general election campaign the Foreign Secretary shared a hotel room with his then driver Christopher Myers, whom he has now appointed as his Special Adviser on the Civil Service payroll. Other campaign staffers stayed in separate more modest hotels and sources suggest that this was not a one off instance. Guido believes it to be the case that it would be usual for the bill for the room – which was settled by Hague personally – to be reimbursed via the Conservative Party’s election campaign expenses. One witness told Guido that the room sharing couple’s body language at breakfast was eye opening.

It is surely inappropriate for someone of William Hague’s status to be sharing a night in a hotel room with his driver – you only have to consider how absurd it would be if his driver were female to see it is completely bizarre even if there were two beds. The appointment of Hague’s former driver to his private office is controversial because 25-year old Myers has no expertise for the job, no relevant experience and his only qualification for the position is his closeness to the Foreign Secretary.

Eyebrows were raised at CCHQ when William Littlejohn, Hague’s well connected and respected press officer for the last two years, was passed over in favour of Myers – who is currently in hiding from the press. Littlejohn was left effectively jobless after the election until Andy Coulson found him a job with Caroline Spelman. You couldn’t make it up…

Two national Sunday papers have the evidence but, despite journalists putting considerable resources into the story, their editors are reluctant to pursue it. Perhaps because in the words of the song,”no one knows what goes on behind closed doors”…

http://order-order.com/page/2/

Some of the newspapers took up this story. This resulted in William Hague issuing this statement:

"I feel it is necessary to issue this personal statement in response to press and internet speculation over the last ten days. Earlier this year a Sunday newspaper began questioning whether my marriage to Ffion was in trouble, and last week another media outlet asked whether there was a statement about our supposed separation. This seemed to be linked to equally untrue speculation surrounding the appointment of Christopher Myers as a Special Adviser. Christopher Myers has demonstrated commitment and political talent over the last eighteen months. He is easily qualified for the job he holds. Any suggestion that his appointment was due to an improper relationship between us is utterly false, as is any suggestion that I have ever been involved in a relationship with any man.

This speculation seems to stem from the fact that whilst campaigning before the election we occasionally shared twin hotel rooms. Neither of us would have done so if we had thought that it in any way meant or implied something else. In hindsight I should have given greater consideration to what might have been made of that, but this is in itself no justification for allegations of this kind, which are untrue and deeply distressing to me, to Ffion and to Christopher.

He has now told me that, as a result of the pressure on his family from the untrue and malicious allegations made about him, he does not wish to continue in his position. It is a pity that a talented individual should feel that he needs to leave his job in this way. Ffion and I believe that everyone has a right to a private life.

However, we now feel it necessary to give some background to our marriage because we have had enough of this continued and hurtful speculation about us. I have made no secret of the fact that Ffion and I would love to start a family. For many years this has been our goal. Sadly this has proved more difficult for us than for most couples. We have encountered many difficulties and suffered multiple miscarriages, and indeed are still grieving for the loss of a pregnancy this summer. We are aware that the stress of infertility can often strain a marriage, but in our case, thankfully, it has only brought us closer together.

It has been an immensely traumatic and painful experience but our marriage is strong and we will face whatever the future brings together. Several years ago one Sunday paper reported that Ffion was three months pregnant, without ever checking the story with us. This made even more difficult the fact that we had only just experienced another disappointment. We have never made this information public because of the distress it would cause to our families and would not do so now were it not for the untrue rumours circulating which repeatedly call our marriage into question. We wish everyone to know that we are very happily married.

It is very regrettable to have to make this personal statement, but we have often said to each other ‘if only they knew the truth…’ Well, this is the straightforward truth. I will not be making any further comment on these matters.”

This was a poor attempt to change the story from his possible homosexuality to the one of rumours about the state of the marriage. The problem for the government is that the story that the Labour Party have on Hague is not about his homosexuality. However, it is about a related matter that even in our more tolerant times is still not legal. Hague might find it a good idea to follow the example of Leon Brittan, who resigned from the government in January 1986, when rumours began circulating about a similar offence.

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While I was travelling back from Calvi in Corsica on Sunday I noticed that one of my fellow passengers was Justine Greening, the MP for Putney and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury in David Cameron's government. I decided to have a bit of fun at her expense. I stood behind her and her girlfriend at baggage reclaim. I then began to talk to my partner about what I knew about William Hague's sexual past. She was so busy listening to me that she missed her suitcase going past her. I suppose I should have asked her if she had been sharing a bed with her girlfriend in Calvi (she was very attractive, unlike Miss Greening).

http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Greening_Justine.aspx

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Homophobia. w.g.a.s. ,( well someone does).

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