LONDON, (Reuters) – A senior British lord quit his post yesterday and will face a police investigation after a tabloid newspaper released a video showing him semi-naked and snorting white powder through a banknote while partying with two women.
John Buttifant Sewel stood down from his post as deputy speaker of Britain’s unelected House of Lords after The Sun yesterday released the footage and accused him of using cocaine and of hiring prostitutes.
Sewel, 69, who is married, could not be immediately reached for comment. Baroness Frances D’Souza, the upper chamber’s speaker, said Sewel had decided to resign as deputy speaker and would be investigated by police. She did not say if he confirmed or denied the allegations.
The imbroglio comes as Britain’s politicians are still trying to regain voter trust after a far-reaching 2009 expenses scandal, and could fuel support for former fringe parties who have styled themselves as anti-establishment.
Ironically, Sewel’s senior position in the House of Lords tasked him with ensuring fellow lords behaved properly. Packed with political appointees from all parties, its role is to scrutinise government legislation, but some politicians on the left believe it is an elitist anachronism and should be abolished.
Sewel’s behaviour was “shocking and unacceptable”, D’Souza said in a statement.
