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| Hain 'right to go' say colleagues | Hain 'right to go' say colleagues |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Peter Hain was right to quit the Cabinet, but it was a "terrible waste," Welsh politicians have said in reacting to his resignation. | Peter Hain was right to quit the Cabinet, but it was a "terrible waste," Welsh politicians have said in reacting to his resignation. |
| Mr Hain quit as Work and Pensions Secretary and Welsh Secretary after his deputy leader campaign donations were referred to the Metropolitan Police. | Mr Hain quit as Work and Pensions Secretary and Welsh Secretary after his deputy leader campaign donations were referred to the Metropolitan Police. |
| Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik believes Mr Hain had no choice but to step down after police became involved. | Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik believes Mr Hain had no choice but to step down after police became involved. |
| He joined other politicians who paid tribute to his work in Wales. | He joined other politicians who paid tribute to his work in Wales. |
| "I have said all along that if he ended up in a situation where the police were involved he would probably have been too preoccupied with that to carry on," said the Montgomeryshire MP. | "I have said all along that if he ended up in a situation where the police were involved he would probably have been too preoccupied with that to carry on," said the Montgomeryshire MP. |
| He worked alongside Mr Hain when the Neath MP was Northern Ireland Secretary and Mr Opik was his party's spokesman. | He worked alongside Mr Hain when the Neath MP was Northern Ireland Secretary and Mr Opik was his party's spokesman. |
| "It doesn't mean he's guilty, let's stress that point. | "It doesn't mean he's guilty, let's stress that point. |
| It's very disappointing and he's clearly done the right thing Paul Flynn, Newport West MP class="" href="/1/hi/wales/7207573.stm">Who's next for 'part-time post?' class="" href="/1/hi/wales/7182829.stm">Profile: An extraordinary journey class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7206812.stm">Hain quits jobs 'to clear name' ' | |
| "But I think this is really sad because in the 10 years I have worked with him , particularly in Northern Ireland and in Wales, the man showed first-class integrity and really helped to broker peace which is saving lives every day in Northern Ireland." | "But I think this is really sad because in the 10 years I have worked with him , particularly in Northern Ireland and in Wales, the man showed first-class integrity and really helped to broker peace which is saving lives every day in Northern Ireland." |
| Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru's leader at Westminster, said Mr Hain had "done the honourable thing." | Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru's leader at Westminster, said Mr Hain had "done the honourable thing." |
| "I believe that his position was untenable when this Progressive Policy Forum came to light. We still don't know exactly what it is because nobody's been able to offer a sensible explanation for what that forum did or does." | "I believe that his position was untenable when this Progressive Policy Forum came to light. We still don't know exactly what it is because nobody's been able to offer a sensible explanation for what that forum did or does." |
| Mr Llwyd said Mr Hain had played an "important role in the constitutional development of Wales." | Mr Llwyd said Mr Hain had played an "important role in the constitutional development of Wales." |
| "He certainly played a crucial role in steering the Government of Wales Act through Westminster The events of the last few weeks should not detract from that." | "He certainly played a crucial role in steering the Government of Wales Act through Westminster The events of the last few weeks should not detract from that." |
| Alun Cairns, the Conservative AM for South Wales West, said Mr Hain had no choice but to resign. | Alun Cairns, the Conservative AM for South Wales West, said Mr Hain had no choice but to resign. |
| "Personally I am disappointed for Peter Hain, he has been a minister who has worked hard on his own priorities and his government. It's a shame that there has been some mistakes," he said. | "Personally I am disappointed for Peter Hain, he has been a minister who has worked hard on his own priorities and his government. It's a shame that there has been some mistakes," he said. |
| "I do hope he can clear his name and that he will have a career in the future. | "I do hope he can clear his name and that he will have a career in the future. |
| 'Kicking himself' | 'Kicking himself' |
| "I didn't agree with his priorities but he has been successful and as a party we have respect for him as an individual for the work he has done." | "I didn't agree with his priorities but he has been successful and as a party we have respect for him as an individual for the work he has done." |
| Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, said Mr Hain had been a "powerful voice for Wales." | Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, said Mr Hain had been a "powerful voice for Wales." |
| Mr Flynn added: "It's very disappointing and he's clearly done the right thing. Peter as a person of integrity in saying that if a cabinet minister is under investigation for a matter of this kind he should resign." | Mr Flynn added: "It's very disappointing and he's clearly done the right thing. Peter as a person of integrity in saying that if a cabinet minister is under investigation for a matter of this kind he should resign." |
| Albert Owen, Labour MP for Anglesey, said Mr Hain was taking the donations row "personally". | Albert Owen, Labour MP for Anglesey, said Mr Hain was taking the donations row "personally". |
| "He's a very competent, able minister and he has been kicking himself more than anybody else and turning this over in his mind and he will take this very personally," he said. | "He's a very competent, able minister and he has been kicking himself more than anybody else and turning this over in his mind and he will take this very personally," he said. |
| Mr Hain's former election agent, Howard Davies, said it was a great loss for the constituency to lose a man at government level. | Mr Hain's former election agent, Howard Davies, said it was a great loss for the constituency to lose a man at government level. |
| "It is up to the police to decide what they've got to do. We've had investigations before and people have been cleared. | "It is up to the police to decide what they've got to do. We've had investigations before and people have been cleared. |
| "And there's no doubt in my mind that basically Peter Hain is in the clear here because he's a very honest man." | "And there's no doubt in my mind that basically Peter Hain is in the clear here because he's a very honest man." |
| No announcement has been made on Mr Hain's successor. | No announcement has been made on Mr Hain's successor. |