A glimpse into the history of British MPs love affairs
June 26, 2021, 8:43 am

A glimpse into the history of British MPs love affairs

UK MPs

According to Sputnik, in the UK, politicians have a history of steamy love affairs that have often cost them their jobs and reputation. love affairs

After the difficult couple of weeks UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has had because of an ongoing COVID pandemic and repelling attacks from Boris Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings about his handling of the health crisis.

Now, it has emerged, according to a circulating security footage video, that the married father-of-three snogged his own aide Gina Coladangelo in the office.

Hancock later said he was “very sorry”… for breaking COVID social distancing rules.

But the health secretary is not the first (and probably won’t be the last) British politician to express public regrets about his steamy private life.

The Profumo Affair

A major sixties scandal saw Secretary of State for War John Profumo lose his job after lying about his affair with young model Christine Keeler, who was also linked to a Soviet captain at the same time. The magnitude of the scandal even prompted the resignation of Harold Macmillan’s Conservative government over the loss of credibility.

Eggs & Sex

Margaret Thatcher’s Junior Health Minister Edwina Currie lost her job in 1988 over the salmonella-in-eggs scandal, but it was not only this controversy that is now forever linked to her name. The former official turned writer admitted in her ‘Diaries’ that she'd had a four-year affair with future Prime Minister John Major while both were married.

Child Born Out of ‘Love’?

Former Trade and Industry Secretary Cecil Parkinson was also forced to quit his job in 1983 after it was revealed that the married official had fathered a child with his then-secretary Sara Keays. Parkinson’s career went uphill several years later with a high-profile appointment as the Secretary of State for Energy. It was widely reported in the media though that he had no intention of meeting his daughter Flora Keays, who'd had some serious health issues since birth.

Home Affairs

Lord Blunkett resigned from his Home Secretary post in 2004 following a scandal around his three-year affair with former Spectator magazine publisher Kimberly Quinn. David Blunkett was not married at the time, unlike Quinn, who'd had a history of extramarital affairs. During their relationship, Quinn gave birth to one son and became pregnant with another one. The DNA tests later confirmed that Blunkett was the father of her first son, but not the second one.

Boris Johnson and All His Babies

The current UK prime minister could have his picture placed in dictionaries next to the definition of 'turbulent sex life'. Johnson has recently tied the knot for the third time – he married the mother of his one-year-old son, former Tory head of communications Carrie Symonds. Previously he was married twice: to Oxford University sweetheart Allegra Mostyn-Owen and his childhood pal Marina Wheeler.

Wheeler and Johnson got married just 12 days after his first divorce, when she was already pregnant with their first child Lara Lettice. They had three more children during their 25 years of marriage that were marred with a number of sex scandals, including his alleged affair with Spectator journalist Petronella Wyatt, that cost him a post on the Conservative front bench. Another one resulted in an illegitimate child with arts consultant Helen Macintyre, while his relationship with American tech entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri put him in hot water over the alleged misuse of public money. This scandal is still ongoing. love affairs

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Source: Sputnik

Image source: AP-Sputnik

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.