Besieged: Hague’s assistant in hiding (From The Northern Echo)

Besieged: Hague’s assistant in hiding

8:07am Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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Media surround family home despite denials of ‘improper’ relationship.

THE family home of Foreign Secretary William Hague’s former aide, Christopher Myers, was under siege yesterday as the media furore over their friendship showed no sign of abating.

Journalists kept vigil outside the house of Mr Myers’ parents, in Bolton-on-Swale, near Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, as the Foreign Secretary admitted his decision to publicly deny the relationship was “not an easy thing to do”.

In a separate statement, Downing Street said the Richmond MP had the Prime Minister’s “100 per cent support”.

It was unclear last night if Mr Myers, 25, who resigned from his role as special advisor to Mr Hague citing pressure on his family, was inside the detached property.

In a press conference at the Foreign Office, Mr Hague said his former aide was “someone who is rather fed-up of the political world, and who can blame him?”.

The former Tory leader said he went public to deny the allegations because he and his wife, Ffion, who live about four miles away near Colburn, had “had enough”.

He said he decided to “put the record straight” about the rumours that had been circulating, particularly on internet sites.

In an earlier statement on Wednesday, Mr Hague denied having had an improper relationship with Mr Myers and insisted his marriage was secure.

He also revealed that his wife, Ffion, had suffered a number of miscarriages as they tried to start a family.

The Foreign Secretary said he had no more to add to his statement yesterday, but gave an insight into why he and Ffion had decided to go public.

He said: “I made a very personal statement, which was not an easy thing to do. I am not going to expand on that.

“My wife and I really felt we had had enough of the circulation of untrue allegations, particularly on the internet, and at some point you have to speak out about that and put the record straight.”

Mr Hague said the work of the Foreign Office “had not missed a beat at any stage” despite the rumours circulating about him.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said: “We have always given William our 100 per cent support. That was the case yesterday and it is the case today. The Prime Minister totally understands why William made the statement he did and he backs him 100 per cent.”

There was also support from the chairman of Richmondshire Conservative Association.

Christopher Bourne-Arton said: “William Hague is a brilliant Conservative MP, a fantastic cabinet minister and a great fellow.

“You do not have to wander the streets of Richmond for very long to realise he has universal support with friend and foe alike. This is a total nonevent, a total non-story and it will die a death very quickly.”

Mr Myers’ parents, Brian and Barbara, were not answering the door yesterday and the curtains and blinds at the property were closed.

Members of the family left in a car during the day, returning several hours later, but declined to speak to the media.

However, neighbours reported that Mr Hague had been a regular visitor at the home in the run-up to the election.

Others said they were “bemused”

by the media attention the village was receiving.

One elderly man said: “I think it’s all a load of rubbish.

“I just hope it doesn’t bring down Hague – he’s done a lot for this country.”

Villagers said the Myers family had moved in about ten years ago.

Mr Myers, a former Yarm School pupil and Durham University student, was employed by Mr Hague during the General Election campaign as a constituency aide and had worked for the Foreign Secretary as policy advisor.

Mr Hague admitted to “occasionally”

sharing hotel rooms with Mr Myers during the election.

Ex-Tory cabinet minister John Redwood wrote on his blog that the Foreign Secretary “now seems to understand it was poor judgement to share a room with an assistant”.

Labour leadership contender Ed Balls said: “I think probably, when you are in a senior position, you have got to be careful.”