Blow for Boris Johnson as Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns quits amid accusations he lied about aide in row over rape trial

Boris Johnson suffered a massive blow on the first day of the election campaign after his Welsh Secretary quit over a row about a collapsed rape trial.

Alun Cairns resigned after he was accused of “brazenly lying” about when he found out his former aide had “sabotaged” a rape trial.

MINISTER RESIGNS

Mr Cairns denied knowing Ross England made claims about a victim’s sexual history that caused the trial to be abandoned 2018 until the story broke last week.

But a leaked email revealed he knew about the allegation in August 2018 – four months before he backed Mr England to be a Tory candidate for the Welsh Assembly.

In his resignation letter to the PM, he said: "You will be aware of allegations relating to the actions of a party employee and candidate for the Welsh assembly elections in the Vale of Glamorgan.

"This is a very sensitive matter, and in light of continued speculation, I write to tender my resignation as secretary of state for Wales.

This is a very sensitive matter, and in light of continued speculation, I write to tender my resignation as secretary of state for Wales.

Alun Cairns

"I will co-operate in full with the investigation under the Ministerial Code which will now take place and I am confident I will be cleared of any breach or wrong doing."

The announcement is a massive blow to the PM, and comes less than an hour before he is due to launch his election campaign on the steps of Downing Street.

Mr Johnson will vow to lead Britain out of its “rut” and stop Britain’s Remainer MPs blocking Brexit.

He is also expected to bang the d rum for his big spending plans to boost investment in hospitals, schools and cops.

STAND DOWN

Jeremy Corbyn has now called on the ex-Welsh Secretary to stand down as parliamentary candidate in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The Labour boss said: "Obviously, legally he can stand as a candidate but does he have a moral right to stand as a candidate?

"If he’s stepping down as a minister because of his involvement then I would have thought the very least the Conservative Party can do is not put him up as a candidate in the next election."

Obviously, legally he can stand as a candidate but does he have a moral right to stand as a candidate?

Jeremy Corbyn

Labour's candidate for the seat is Belina Loveluck-Edwards.
While Christina Rees, shadow welsh secretary, accused Mr Cairns of "brazenly lying" and has called on him to quit.

The Cabinet minister claimed he was unaware of former staff member Ross England's role in the collapsed trial until the story emerged last week.

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