Australian PM orders MP involved in scandal out of party
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has asked one of her MPs to resign from the party despite her fragile minority rule.
The Labor Party MP Craig Thomson was asked by his prime minister, Julia Gillard, to resign from the party after his involvement in a scandal over payment for prostitutes broke out.
Reportedly, the incidents used to happen before he became an MP. It is alleged, that Thomson used a former employer's credit card to pay for prostitutes and lavish meals, also to withdraw cash.
Talking to reporters, the Australian Prime Minister said that while Thomson is strongly denying the allegations and was entitled to the presumption of innocence, she had to make a judgment call based on the need to preserve parliament's reputation.
"I indicated to Mr Thomson that I had decided it was appropriate for him to no longer participate in Labor caucus; to be suspended from the Labor Party," Gillard told reporters in Canberra.