Sewel steps down from parliament

Scandal-hit peer Lord Sewel has resigned from the House of Lords after coming under intense pressure over footage of him allegedly taking cocaine with two prostitutes.

The former Labour minister — the first peer to stand down in disgrace following new rules introduced last year allowing resignations from the Upper House — apologised for the “pain and embarrassment” caused by the drugs and sex scandal.

The married 69-year-old had earlier quit his £84,500-a-year role as deputy speaker of the Lords and chairman of the Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee, but until yesterday morning was resisting calls for him to leave Parliament altogether.

On Monday night the Metropolitan Police raided Lord Sewel’s home with a sniffer dog and battering ram.

In a statement to parliamentary officials announcing his resignation, Lord Sewel said: “I hope my decision will limit and help repair the damage I have done to an institution I hold dear ... I want to apologise for the pain and embarrassment I have caused.”

The Sun newspaper has now alleged that Sewel boasted to prostitutes about sleeping with a BBC presenter — something the woman involved has emphatically denied.”