LONDON - The disgraced former British cabinet minister, Mr Jonathan Aitken, was yesterday facing moves to strip him of his status as a privy councillor. Ms Ann Taylor, leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, is understood to have discussed Mr Aitken's position with officials. He could be stripped of the title Right Honourable.
Senior Tories were privately calling on Mr Aitken to resign from the council, to prevent more embarrassment after his libel trial climbdown. On Friday Mr Aitken sensationally dropped his libel case against the Guardian and Granada TV over allegations that he had sought prostitutes for Arab business contacts and had allowed a Saudi prince to pay a hotel bill for him.