Foreign Secretary Hague Denies Gay Relationship as Special Adviser Resigns

U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague denied having a gay affair with an adviser and said difficulties conceiving children with his wife Ffion may be behind rumors that he’d had an “improper relationship” with the aide.

Hague, 49, said Christopher Myers, a special adviser who resigned from his job today, was “easily qualified” for the role and that allegations that he was appointed because they were having a relationship were “utterly false.” Hague said he regretted sharing hotel rooms with the adviser during this year’s election campaign.

“Neither of us would have done so if we had thought that it in any way meant or implied something else,” Hague said in a statement released by his office in London today. “In hindsight I should have given greater consideration to what might have been made of that, but this is in itself no justification for allegations of this kind.”

Hague, who was Conservative Party leader between 1997 and 2001, said Myers had decided to quit because of “the pressure on his family from the untrue and malicious allegations.” Hague said he and his wife had so far been unable to have children and she suffered “multiple miscarriages,” including one as recently as this summer, for which they were “still grieving.”

“It has been an immensely traumatic and painful experience but our marriage is strong and we will face whatever the future brings together,” Hague said. “We wish everyone to know that we are very happily married.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Gonzalo Vina in London at gvina@bloomberg.net.

• Tweet
• More
  • Business Exchange
  • Buzz up!
  • Digg
• Print
• Email