BRITAIN: An unrepentant Mr Stephen Byers fought-off fresh calls for his resignation yesterday, insisting he did not mislead MPs by telling them his communications director had resigned when he had not.
However fresh doubts about the Transport Secretary's long term survival were the talk of Westminster last night as the renewed row over his department's troubles - about spin-doctors, the burial of bad news and a resignation that never was - totally over-shadowed Mr John Prescott's confirmation of the Blair government's plans for mini-parliaments for the English regions.
In a statement to MPs the Deputy Prime Minister claimed the proposed regional assemblies would signal "the rebirth of political life across England" following the successful devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and London. And a proud Mr Prescott, veteran campaigner for regional government, proclaimed the publication of the government's White Paper the "conclusion of a political dream I have held for years."
But Mr Prescott's dream of approving headlines was shattered as the media spotlight once again fell on Mr Byers, who finally decided to make a statement to the Commons about the so-called "Martin Sixsmith affair" rather than risk being hauled before the House by a priority Conservative question or by order of the Speaker.
In a statement to MPs on February 26th Mr Byers repeatedly referred to the resignation of Mr Sixsmith.
Earlier this week, however, his department acknowledged this had not in fact taken place, as it confirmed Mr Sixsmith would now formally leave his post in Mr Byer's department at the end of this month, by mutual agreement and with a pay-off estimated at around £200,000.
Mr Byers insisted this did not mean he had misled MPs, explaining that his earlier statement to them reflected his understanding from his department's Permanent Secretary - now admittedly "incorrect" - that Mr Sixsmith had agreed to resign.
"In my statement I made clear the reason for my understanding, based on the information I had been provided with, that Martin Sixsmith had agreed to resign. I have not misled the House as some have alleged. All of my statements have been based on the information available to me. This House has not been misled by this Secretary of State," he declared.