Officer faces probe over alleged affair with Johnson's wife

A POLICE protection officer was today facing disciplinary action amid claims he had an affair with the wife of former Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson, who quit his frontbench post last night.

Mr Johnson said his resignation, after less than four months in the job, was for "personal reasons to do with my family".

Today it was reported Detective Constable Paul Rice, who guarded Mr Johnson when he was Home Secretary, was facing suspension over an alleged affair with Mr Johnson's 47-year-old wife, Laura.

Labour leader Ed Miliband, who was due in Edinburgh today for a string of engagements, moved quickly last night to reshuffle his team, appointing former leadership rival Ed Balls to take over as Shadow Chancellor, moving Mr Balls' wife Yvette Cooper from Shadow Foreign Secretary to replace him as Shadow Home Secretary and giving her old job to Douglas Alexander.

Mr Johnson, 60, has been married to his second wife for almost 20 years and the couple have a ten-year-old son.

Labour sources said he told Mr Miliband on Monday that he wanted to stand down and explained why he felt he could not continue as Shadow Chancellor. Mr Miliband tried unsuccessfully to persuade him to stay on.

In his resignation letter, Mr Johnson said: "I have found it difficult to cope with these issues in my private life whilst carrying out an important frontbench role."

Mrs Johnson was reported to be at the family's home in London last night while her husband was in his Hull constituency.

It is understood DC Rice worked as part of Mr Johnson's protection team for more than a year, guarding his home and travelling with him in this country and abroad.

A police spokesman said last night: "This evening, certain matters regarding a Metropolitan Police service constable were referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards. We are not in a position to discuss it further at this time."

Mr Johnson, a former postman, was one of the most experienced and popular members of Labour's frontbench, but his appointment as Shadow Chancellor last October, in preference to Mr Balls, came as a surprise and his abilities in the role were repeatedly called into doubt by opponents.

The Tories and Liberal Democrats said Mr Balls' appointment marked a return to strength for Gordon Brown's old guard.

Mr Balls, a fierce ally of the former Prime Minister, has in the past questioned Labour's deficit reduction plans, suggesting they should be less aggressive, but Mr Miliband said there would be no change in economic policy.

He said: "Ed brings great expertise to this role and I look forward to working with him. Economic policy is unchanged. Ed and I have similar views."

Mr Balls said he planned to "carry on" the work started by Mr Johnson. He said: "Ed and Alan in the last few months have set out the direction that is going to continue."