'My marriage is strong' says William Hague as aide resigns over 'malicious' rumours

Published on Wednesday 1 September 2010 18:28

THE Foreign Secretary William Hague has revealed his aide Christopher Myers had resigned following "untrue and deeply distressing" rumours about the nature of their relationship.

In an extraordinarily frank statement, Mr Hague said suggestions that Mr Myers' appointment was due to an improper relationship between them were "utterly false" and he denied his marriage to wife Ffion was in trouble.

He also revealed that he and Ffion have suffered the trauma of multiple miscarriages, including one this summer, but added that their marriage was "strong".

Mr Hague's personal statement is an attempt to draw a line under rumours that had been circulating over the internet.

He said: "Any suggestion that his appointment was due to an improper relationship between us is utterly false, as is any suggestion that I have ever been involved in a relationship with any man."

Mr Myers, 25, was employed by Mr Hague during the general election campaign as a constituency aide and had worked for the Foreign Secretary as a policy advisor on a salary reported to be 30,000.

Mr Hague admitted to "occasionally" sharing hotel rooms with Mr Myers during the election. But he added: "Neither of us would have done so if we had thought that it in any way meant or implied something else.

"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, which are untrue and deeply distressing to me, to Ffion and to Christopher."

• Profile: William Hague

The Foreign Secretary said Mr Myers had quit as a result of the "pressure" put on his family due to the "untrue and malicious allegations made about him".

Mr Hague added: "It is a pity that a talented individual should feel that he needs to leave his job in this way."

The adviser's qualifications had been questioned by some commentators, who believed he lacked experience for his job in the Foreign Office.

But Mr Hague praised Mr Myers, who had "demonstrated commitment and political talent over the last 18 months" and was "easily qualified for the job he holds".

Following reports that his marriage was in difficulty, the Foreign Secretary said he felt it was important to provide background information about his relationship with Ffion.

The couple married in 1997 and Mr Hague said: "I have made no secret of the fact that Ffion and I would love to start a family. For many years this has been our goal.Sadly, this has proved more difficult for us than for most couples.

"We have encountered many difficulties and suffered multiple miscarriages, and indeed are still grieving for the loss of a pregnancy this summer.

"We are aware that the stress of infertility can often strain a marriage, but in our case, thankfully, it has only brought us closer together.

"It has been an immensely traumatic and painful experience but our marriage is strong and we will face whatever the future brings together."

Mr Hague once described getting married as more nerve-racking than anything he had ever experienced in Parliament.

He met Ffion Jenkins in 1995 when he was Secretary of State for Wales and she was his private secretary.

She decided to teach her boss the Welsh national anthem so he would not make the same mistake as his predecessor, John Redwood, who famously made a mess of mouthing the words. But it took another 16 months for him to pluck up the courage to ask the glamorous blonde out on a date.

If that was a slow start, their relationship progressed quickly after that, with Mr Hague proposing after just four months of courtship.

The pair kept the relationship secret ahead of the announcement of their engagement.

But they shocked many Conservatives, including Lady Thatcher, when they slept in the same room during the party conference.

They married in a small ceremony at the House of Commons Crypt in December 1997.

At 29, seven years Mr Hague's junior, she became the youngest wife of a party leader in history.

Mr Hague has long spoken of the importance of marriage.

A year into their relationship he said that "marriages are made in heaven but it is up to each of us to make them work here on earth".