The minister, who is married, has been accused of having an affair with a Whitehall official and of having a long-term relationship with a journalist. He has strongly denied the allegations. Senior Downing Street aides are braced this weekend for “suggestive” reports to begin surfacing over the Cabinet minister’s private life.
"OK, stop mincing and don't call me Wizziwig"
Friends of "the minister" have warned that he will not hesitate to take “action” should unfounded allegations that he is homosexual, which are circulating on the internet, appear in mainstream media. It is not clear whether this action would take the form of an injunction or a threat to sue following publication. “He is happily married and is not gay, it is as simple as that,” said one source. “He will not hesitate before taking the necessary action should someone overstep the mark and suggest something which is not true.”
The Cabinet minister has faced repeated questions about his private life over the past few months. In recent weeks, The Daily Telegraph, along with several other newspapers, received details of two alleged male lovers of the Cabinet minister. Photographers were present outside the home of one of the men, whose family are thought to have left the country. The other alleged lover, a journalist, has also been approached by reporters over an apparent affair.
However, a source close to the man told this newspaper: “He has never met the minister. As someone who works in the media, he has never even been in the same room as him.” He added: “If he was asked about an affair and it was true, he’d say publicly that he didn’t want to comment on a personal relationship. But in this case he doesn’t want to give the claims any credibility by publicly refuting them.”
However, a source close to the man told this newspaper: “He has never met the minister. As someone who works in the media, he has never even been in the same room as him.” He added: “If he was asked about an affair and it was true, he’d say publicly that he didn’t want to comment on a personal relationship. But in this case he doesn’t want to give the claims any credibility by publicly refuting them.”
It would be highly unusual for a Cabinet minister to instruct lawyers over an allegation surrounding their private life. In the past, ministers have simply publicly denied such untrue allegations. In 1991, the then chancellor, Norman Lamont, denied knowing anything about his London flat being used as a sex parlour after a Sunday newspaper claimed it had been rented out to a prostitute. Unusually, he threatened legal action against anyone who “publishes anything which reflects adversely on me or my wife”.
Friends of the Cabinet minister hope that the threat of legal action will deter unfounded rumours surfacing publicly [haha!]. The use of injunctions has been thrown into controversy recently after several footballers used the legal system to stop newspapers from disclosing details about their private lives. However, these cases are different because the allegations are not unfounded, but are regarded by a judge as an invasion of their privacy.
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The Independent wrote an article in June 1997 in which they reported William Hague as saying: "If you are a politician, some people will always want to do you down. I don't lose a moment's sleep over things like that." Read the full article here.
According to Simon Heffer, writing for the New Statesman in November 1998, many rumours abounded about William Hague before his marriage: "in fact, he limits his male-on-male activities to a spot of wrestling with Sebastian Coe, and seems oblivious to the strident homosexuals who form part of his close circle of supporters." Read the full article here.
Amongst those who have worked for William Hague is David Gold, diary secretary and PPC for Brighton Pavilion in 2001. In an interview with him from February of that year, he said: "William didn’t know I was gay when I was diary secretary. When he did find out he was fine with it, and just said, “Good for you”. Ffion made a beeline for me at a party and was wonderful about it. They are very relaxed, cosmopolitan people. William met my partner and I together just a couple of weeks ago when he came to Brighton." Read the full article here.
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