24/02/2015

Sir Malcolm Rifkind Steps Down From Security Committee

Sir Malcolm Rifkind is to stand down as Chairman of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee over the controversy of a "cash-for-access" sting operation.

Sir Malcolm and Jack Straw, both former foreign secretaries, were secretly filmed in a Channel 4 and Daily Telegraph undercover operation offering to use their political influence for a price.

Immediately following the revelations on Monday, calls were made for Sir Malcolm to stand down from the Intelligence and Security Committee, which he at first refused to do, maintaining that he had done nothing wrong.

However, he has announced this morning that he will stand down as Chairman and as a Conservative MP.

Both Sir Malcolm and Mr Straw insist that they did not break any parliamentary rules and voluntarily referred themselves to Parliament's standards watchdog.

(MH/CD)

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