A BRITISH minister's political future hangs in the balance after a "hard-hitting" Commons' committee report fell short of recommending the toughest sanctions.
The Paymaster-Genernl, Mr David Willetts, will learn today the conclusions of the Standards and Privileges Committee inquiry - but it would appear that the committee will not recommend suspension as an MP.
Such a move would have left him with little option but to resign as a minister.
Instead it looks as though Mr Willetts will face some tough criticisms and that MPs will be asked to decide his future - in a vote probably in the New Year.
Last, night Labour insisted that the Minister, a close confidante of the British Prime Minister, Mr Major was "on the record as saying that he will go if the report is critical of him".
Labour election-strategist, Mr Brian Wilson, said: "There can be no hiding place from that position. It is one U-turn which parliament would find intolerable."
Mr Willetts faced accusations that he fried to interfere in the Members' Interests Select Committee's investigation into the role of former minister, Mr Neil Hamilton, in the cash-for-questions affair.
The "Willetts" memo appeared to suggest that he and the head of the committee, Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith, had discussed ways in which the government could secure a favourable outcome to the inquiry into Mr Hamilton.
Mr Willetts has strongly denied any attempt to pressurise the committee.