The Cabinet minister in charge of the UK government’s First World War Centenary programme, Maria Miller, has resigned after a row about her expenses.
As Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Mrs Miller announced Britain’s official commemorations for the Centenary. Her departure comes only four months before the first series of major events gets under way in August 2014.
Mrs Miller has been cleared by a Parliamentary watchdog of wrong-doing over a mortgage claim, but she’s been ordered to pay back £5,800.
She’d faced mounting criticism from the UK media and fellow MPs for the brevity and tone of a 32-second statement of apology in the House of Commons last week.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, she said the row had “become a distraction from the vital work” of the Government.
Mrs Miller’s duties as Culture Secretary included leading preparations for the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
Announcing the UK’s Centenary plans in 2013, she said the Government had “produced a fitting programme of events to remember and mark the actions of men and women from Britain, the Commonwealth and all the nations involved in the First World War.”
Those events start on 4th August 2014, with a day of commemorations marking the day Britain went to war with Germany 100 years ago.
Mrs Miller’s successor as Culture Secretary is Sajid Javid, who’s moving from his current job as a Treasury minister. Mr Javid worked in business and finance before being elected as a Conservative MP in 2010.
Source: UK Government
Date of press release publication: 9th April 2014
Images courtesy of UK Government
Posted by Peter Alhadeff, Centenary News