Foreign Secretary William Hague's adviser resigns

Mr Hague's special adviser has quit over "untrue and malicious" claims made against him, said the Foreign Secretary.

Mr Hague said insinuations that Christopher Myers' selection for the post, was due to an inappropriate relationship between them were "utterly false".

Hague also refuted that his marriage to wife Ffion was in trouble.

He did, however reveal that they had suffered multiple miscarriages and that they are still grief-stricken over the loss of a pregnancy this summer.  He explained that he and his wife would dearly love to have children but that it had proved problematic so far.

Myers, 25, had been engaged by Mr Hague during the election campaign as a constituency assistant and after the election he worked for the foreign secretary as a policy consultant.

Mr Hague's announcement, which was issued in a personal capacity and not in his role as foreign secretary, followed conjecture in the media and on the internet over their relationship.

Hague said the story appeared to stem from the fact they "occasionally" shared hotel rooms during the election campaign.

Mr Hague added: "Neither of us would have done so if we had thought that it in any way meant or implied something else.