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| Home secretary Smith to step down | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Jacqui Smith is to stand down as home secretary in the cabinet reshuffle, sources close to her have told the BBC. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown is set to shake up his cabinet after Thursday's European and English local elections. | |
| The source said she was stepping down for her family, who had been "at the forefront" of a row over her expenses. | |
| Ms Smith, who wants to remain an MP, was criticised for listing her sister's London house as her main home - and her husband's claim for an adult movie. | |
| It is understood Ms Smith, the first woman home secretary, intends to defend her Redditch seat at the next election. | It is understood Ms Smith, the first woman home secretary, intends to defend her Redditch seat at the next election. |
| Mr Brown confirmed to the BBC he is planning a reshuffle but refused to be drawn on individual ministers' roles. | Mr Brown confirmed to the BBC he is planning a reshuffle but refused to be drawn on individual ministers' roles. |
| Leak inquiry | Leak inquiry |
| There has been much speculation that Chancellor Alistair Darling may also be moved - the Liberal Democrats have called for him to be sacked over his expenses claims. | |
| Earlier three other Labour MPs announced their intention to stand down at the next general election. | Earlier three other Labour MPs announced their intention to stand down at the next general election. |
| The BBC understands that Ms Smith, 46, told Mr Brown during the Easter recess that she wanted to step down as home secretary. | |
| A source close to Ms Smith said she was quitting her cabinet job because it was the "right thing for her family" who had been at the "forefront of the row about her expenses". | |
| The source told the BBC that the row had put pressure on her school age children and her parents and while she regretted wrongly submitting a claim for the adult movie, she felt "vindicated" in her overall approach to claims, now those of other MPs had been published. | |
| Made home secretary when Mr Brown became prime minister in 2007, she initially won plaudits for her handling of the car bomb attack on Glasgow Airport. | |
| But she has since come under pressure over issues - including attempts to extend pre-charge detention limits for terrorist suspects, a pay row between the government and police and the Home Office leaks inquiry that led to the arrest of Tory MP Damian Green. | |
| And weeks before the Daily Telegraph began its revelations about MPs' expenses, Ms Smith's own claims came under question. | And weeks before the Daily Telegraph began its revelations about MPs' expenses, Ms Smith's own claims came under question. |
| 'Speculation' | 'Speculation' |
| She had designated her sister's home, where she stays when she is in London, as her main home - rather than her constituency home where her family live. | She had designated her sister's home, where she stays when she is in London, as her main home - rather than her constituency home where her family live. |
| Later she agreed to pay back allowances claimed for pay-per-view television services, which included two adult films apparently watched by her husband. | Later she agreed to pay back allowances claimed for pay-per-view television services, which included two adult films apparently watched by her husband. |
| What I think is amazing is the total collapse of management of government Ben Wallace Conservative MP | What I think is amazing is the total collapse of management of government Ben Wallace Conservative MP |
| Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman, interviewed on BBC Radio 4's World at One, said she could not confirm the "speculation" about Ms Smith. | Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman, interviewed on BBC Radio 4's World at One, said she could not confirm the "speculation" about Ms Smith. |
| But she added: "I think she is an outstanding home secretary. And yes there has been controversy around her expenses and she's not alone in that. | But she added: "I think she is an outstanding home secretary. And yes there has been controversy around her expenses and she's not alone in that. |
| "On any side of the House there's been controversy but I don't think she's ever wavered from her commitment to her job as home secretary and indeed she's been in the cabinet carrying out her duties this morning." | "On any side of the House there's been controversy but I don't think she's ever wavered from her commitment to her job as home secretary and indeed she's been in the cabinet carrying out her duties this morning." |
| Ms Smith is not the only cabinet minister under fire over their expenses claims and facing questions about their future. | Ms Smith is not the only cabinet minister under fire over their expenses claims and facing questions about their future. |
| Hewitt and Hughes | Hewitt and Hughes |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon have both had to apologise and pay back some money claimed on their second homes. | Chancellor Alistair Darling and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon have both had to apologise and pay back some money claimed on their second homes. |
| Both involved bills that had been paid in advance and covered a period when the properties were no longer their designated "second homes". | Both involved bills that had been paid in advance and covered a period when the properties were no longer their designated "second homes". |
| Earlier BBC's political editor Nick Robinson asked the prime minister if both should remain in the cabinet. Mr Brown replied: "Look, we've had a number of people featured in the newspapers. We've got the newspapers' version of a lot of it. | Earlier BBC's political editor Nick Robinson asked the prime minister if both should remain in the cabinet. Mr Brown replied: "Look, we've had a number of people featured in the newspapers. We've got the newspapers' version of a lot of it. |
| If any mistakes have been made and if they were exposed, then people will have to accept the consequences Gordon Brown Hoon sorry for expenses 'error' class="" href="/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/8078453.stm">Campaigners target home secretary | |
| "We're doing a far more extensive examination of what's happened with expenses and everything else. If there's a reshuffle, that's a matter for me about people's competences, ministers as well. | "We're doing a far more extensive examination of what's happened with expenses and everything else. If there's a reshuffle, that's a matter for me about people's competences, ministers as well. |
| "Every MP, including Conservatives and Liberals and all that, are now going to be independently audited and investigated - if any mistakes have been made and if they were exposed - then people will have to accept the consequences". | "Every MP, including Conservatives and Liberals and all that, are now going to be independently audited and investigated - if any mistakes have been made and if they were exposed - then people will have to accept the consequences". |
| Asked whether resignations had been discussed at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Mr Darling said the government had a long discussion about reforming the expenses system, as well as how to help people through the economic downturn. | Asked whether resignations had been discussed at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Mr Darling said the government had a long discussion about reforming the expenses system, as well as how to help people through the economic downturn. |
| "That's what the government is totally focused on," he added. | "That's what the government is totally focused on," he added. |
| 'Normal process' | 'Normal process' |
| Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has also faced widespread speculation that she will be axed as a result of controversy over her second home claims. | Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has also faced widespread speculation that she will be axed as a result of controversy over her second home claims. |
| Meanwhile Bury North Labour MP David Chaytor, who is accused of claiming for a mortgage that was already paid off, has announced that he will not stand at the next election. | Meanwhile Bury North Labour MP David Chaytor, who is accused of claiming for a mortgage that was already paid off, has announced that he will not stand at the next election. |
| Also on Tuesday, former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she would stand down as an MP at the next election, but said it had nothing to do with the expenses furore. | Also on Tuesday, former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she would stand down as an MP at the next election, but said it had nothing to do with the expenses furore. |
| Shortly afterwards children's minister Beverley Hughes became the latest to announce she would stand down, in her case due to "family circumstances". | Shortly afterwards children's minister Beverley Hughes became the latest to announce she would stand down, in her case due to "family circumstances". |
| Conservative MP Ben Wallace, who reported Ms Smith to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over her expenses, told the BBC: "What I think is amazing is the total collapse of management of government, the fact that some people are jumping ship without even informing the prime minister, it seems. It is just falling apart." | Conservative MP Ben Wallace, who reported Ms Smith to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over her expenses, told the BBC: "What I think is amazing is the total collapse of management of government, the fact that some people are jumping ship without even informing the prime minister, it seems. It is just falling apart." |
| But Ms Harman said Ms Hughes and Ms Hewitt were going due to family reasons and rejected suggestions that the "wheels are falling off" the government. | But Ms Harman said Ms Hughes and Ms Hewitt were going due to family reasons and rejected suggestions that the "wheels are falling off" the government. |
| "You can't necessarily control the information agenda but it does not mean that this is anything other than a normal process," she said. | "You can't necessarily control the information agenda but it does not mean that this is anything other than a normal process," she said. |