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John Sewel Resigns From British House of Lords Amid Sex and Drug Scandal John Sewel Resigns From British House of Lords Amid Sex and Drug Scandal
(about 11 hours later)
LONDON — Two days after a newspaper reported that he had used cocaine with prostitutes, a senior member of the House of Lords in Britain resigned his seat on Tuesday, apologizing for the “pain and embarrassment” he had caused. LONDON — Two days after a newspaper reported that he had used cocaine with prostitutes, a senior member of the House of Lords in Britain resigned his seat on Tuesday, apologizing for the “pain and embarrassment” he had caused.
The member, John Sewel, had already given up key posts in the unelected upper chamber of Parliament, including the chairmanship of a committee that monitors standards. On Monday, Lord Sewel, a 69-year-old former minister, indicated that he would stand down only temporarily, pending investigations into the allegations, which — even if proved — may not have breached the code of conduct for House of Lords members. The member, John Sewel, had already given up key posts, including the chairmanship of a committee that monitors standards. On Monday, Lord Sewel, 69, had indicated he would take a temporary leave pending investigations of the allegations, which, even if proved, may not have breached the code of conduct for House of Lords members.
But after two days of criticism from across the political spectrum, Lord Sewel accepted the damage the claims had done to the image of British politics, which has suffered several scandals of different types in recent years. But on Tuesday, he reversed course. “The question of whether my behavior breached the code of conduct is important, but essentially technical,” he said in a statement, ultimately concluding “that I can best serve the House by leaving it.”
“I have today written to the clerk of the Parliaments terminating my membership of the House of Lords,” Lord Sewel said in a statement. “The question of whether my behavior breached the code of conduct is important, but essentially technical.” Lord Sewel said that he hoped the decision would “limit and help repair the damage I have done to an institution I hold dear.”
“The bigger questions are whether my behavior is compatible with membership of the House of Lords and whether my continued membership would damage and undermine public confidence in the House of Lords,” he added. “I believe the answer to both these questions means that I can best serve the House by leaving it.” The revelations about Lord Sewel, who is married, were published by the newspaper The Sun on Sunday, which also released video purporting to show him using drugs.
Lord Sewel said that he hoped the decision would “limit and help repair the damage I have done to an institution I hold dear,” and that he wanted “to apologize for the pain and embarrassment I have caused.”
The revelations about Lord Sewel, who is married, were published by the newspaper The Sun on Sunday, which also released video purporting to show him using drugs. It reported that he had stripped naked and snorted cocaine from the breasts of one of the women he had invited to an apartment in London.
The role of the House of Lords in British politics is itself a target of criticism. With about 780 members who are eligible to take part in its work, the chamber is the largest parliamentary body in the world outside China, and Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to propose the appointment of more members soon.
Lord Sewel was not representing any political party in the House of Lords, but he had been a minister in the Labour government of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Sewel Convention, which outlines some rules on the relationship between legislators in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and those in London, is named after him.
Speaking to the BBC, Jonathan Hill, a European commissioner from Britain and a former leader of the House of Lords, welcomed the resignation, saying Mr. Sewel’s position “wasn’t tenable.”
Lord Sewel had done the right thing, he added. When asked about Lord Sewel’s delay in resigning, he said it was “better late than never.”