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| Paul Flowers arrested in drugs inquiry | Paul Flowers arrested in drugs inquiry |
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| Police have arrested Paul Flowers, the former chairman of the Co-operative Bank who is at the centre of a drugs, expenses and impropriety scandal that has plunged the whole group into crisis. | |
| West Yorkshire police said a man aged 63 had been arrested over Thursday night in the Merseyside area in connection with an ongoing drugs supply investigation. | West Yorkshire police said a man aged 63 had been arrested over Thursday night in the Merseyside area in connection with an ongoing drugs supply investigation. |
| "He has been taken to a police station in West Yorkshire where detectives will continue their enquiries," the force announced. | "He has been taken to a police station in West Yorkshire where detectives will continue their enquiries," the force announced. |
| The escalating controversy surrounding Flowers after a video showed him handing over money for cocaine has prompted turmoil in the Co-operative Group and prompted its overall chairman, Len Wardle, to announce he will retire early from the job. | |
| Lurid details have emerged during the week including Flowers' resignation from Bradford council after pornography was found on his work laptop. Flowers is a Methodist minister and has been suspended by the church. | |
| Conservatives are targeting Labour, which has a close relationship with the Co-op, claiming that senior party figures must have known of Flowers' chequered past. Flowers was a Labour member and has been suspended since the allegations against him came to light, as well as being suspended from his role as a minister in the Methodist church. | |
| Flowers has apologised for his behaviour and has not denied a raft of claims including sending text messages that discussed drug-fuelled parties. | |
| He was forced out as chairman of the Co-operative Bank over concerns about his competency, soon after being questioned by MPs about a £1.5bn capital shortfall that forced the 70% sale of the mutual financial institution to investors including US hedge funds, as well as an ill-fated attempt to take over branches from the bailed-out Lloyds Banking Group. | |
| Other details have emerged of his resignation as deputy chairman of the overall Co-op group in June because of dubious expenses claims; and his departure years earlier from the anti-drugs charity Lifeline after he was questioned by fellow trustees about expenses claims that were deemed excessive. | |
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