No date yet for Laws' return

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Former cabinet minister David Laws has said there is "a process to be observed" before he can return to government.

The Lib Dem MP for Yeovil resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury just weeks after the coalition took power in May in the wake of revelations about his parliamentary expenses.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's The Westminster Hour to be broadcast on Sunday night, Laws speaks about his decision to stand down after it emerged he had used public funds to pay rent to a man he was in a sexual relationship with.

He later confirmed he is gay.

'It was obviously very difficult indeed for all the reasons that people will understand," he said.

"But there are lots of people who deal with tough circumstances in their life, and the job is one that is very important to me, and constituents have been very generous in their support and their encouragement.

"Yes it's difficult at times to be in the public eye but there are huge rewards when you see a government that you're associated with, or policies which you're trying to implement on behalf of constituents, actually being delivered."

Asked when he will return to frontline politics, Laws said he is focused on the "very big job" of being a constituency MP.

"It's not possible to anticipate the dates on these things," he said.

"The usual process does take some time because there is a process to be observed so I don't think there is a date yet."

He also praised the coalition's "damn good ministers, including Danny Alexander, who are doing a very good job in the Treasury ... I don't think that they've missed me since I've left."

Laws also confirmed that the pledge on tuition fees was not "a bottom line issues for us" when the Lib Dems were planning for a coalition.

"There was no way that either of the other two parties would've signed up to the abolition of tuition fees."

The Laws interview will be broadcast on The Westminster Hour on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday night at 10pm.

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