MEP RESIGNS OVER GAY PORN

TOM SPENCER, the Conservative Euro-MP fined for importing cocaine,
cannabis and gay pornography, last weekend bowed to pressure from his
party leadership and announced he would stand down as a candidate in
European elections in June.

The Surrey MEP, who was the Tories' former leader at Strasbourg, is
expected to see out his term as an MEP, though the whip has been
withdrawn and he will be excluded from all Tory group activities at
the European Parliament.He issued a statement saying that he had
decided to step down: "I have concluded it is in the best interests of
all concerned that I should withdraw from the party's list for the
next European elections."The 50-year-old MEP, who has three daughters,
paid a (GBP)550 penalty after customs officers at London's Heathrow
airport found an illegal gay pornographic video and two cannabis
cigarettes in his baggage last month.He later revealed that he told
customs he was also carrying a small quantity of cocaine in his
suitcase after officers failed to find it.