'I'm glad I'm out as gay,' says David Laws

David Laws has spoken of his relief at coming out as a gay man.

The 45-year-old Lib-Dem MP, whose sexuality was made public when he was accused of wrongly claiming expenses, said his parents had been "incredibly understanding and supportive".

"That has been the silver lining," he told The Times. "The irony is that the private life bit, although it is the part that caused problems with my expenses, ended up being the simplest and most straightforward thing to resolve."

He said he considered resigning but was talked out of it by former Lib-Dem leader Paddy Ashdown.

Mr Laws is to be suspended from the Commons for seven days for paying rent to his partner. His parents only found out he was gay because of the scandal.

"Certainly becoming a public figure, if you are also a very private individual, doesn't make it a more obvious time to be open. In fact you become even more sensitive."