Second Lord to quit
Trade Minister Lord Marland is to quit the Government, Downing Street has confirmed.
After PoliticsHome.com broke the news of a second resignation in just two days, a Number 10 spokesman said tonight: "Lord Marland will be stepping down as a minister in order to focus on his role in trade promotion."
The former Tory party Treasurer is understood to have informed the Prime Minister today that he wants to leave his post to pursue business interests in the private sector.
The resignation by the peer, who was moved from DECC to BIS in the reshuffle only a few months ago, would mean two ministers in just three days have quit the Government. Lords leader Lord Strathclyde resigned yesterday on the day of the Government's Mid-Term Review.
News of the impending departure was broken on PoliticsHome editor Paul Waugh's
Waugh Room blog this evening.
Labour seized on the news this evening. Vice-Chair Michael Dugher said: "To lose two ministers in two days shows David Cameron's government is in total chaos. Just one day after their botched relaunch, even people at the very heart of Cameron's government are losing faith and abandoning ship."