British home secretary set to resign

BRITISH home secretary Jacqui Smith became the first cabinet casualty of the MPs’ expenses scandal, after it was revealed she told Prime Minister Gordon Brown within days of revelations about her finances that she wanted to quit the Government in a reshuffle.

Smith was the most high-profile among a clutch of resignations to hit Brown yesterday, including two further members of his administration. The moves created a momentum that threatens to derail his planned relaunch in the wake of what are expected to be abysmal polling results for Labour in the council and MEP elections tomorrow.

Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes announced she wanted to leave in the shake-up – for family reasons – and Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson is also expected to step down.