Chaos as Jacqui Smith resigns as Home Secretary

From @LabourList

UPDATE: Jacqui Smith is still due to lead the second reading of the immigration bill at 3:30pm this afternoon.

UPDATE: The BBC confirms Sky News’ story that Jacqui Smith will resign from government.

UPDATE: Number 10 is seemingly no longer denying that Jacqui Smith will resign.

UPDATE: Jacqui Smith will still defend her Redditch seat at the next general election.

UPDATE: Harriet Harman has just said “the expenses crisis has undermined people’s confidence in democracy” but says Jacqui Smith has served as an able Home Secretary.

UPDATE: Number 10 is denying the reports that Jacqui Smith is to resign, saying it is “speculation”.

UPDATE: Sources close to Jacqui Smith are saying that the Home Secretary told the PM she would step down two months ago.

Sky News is reporting that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will voluntarilty step down as Home Secretary and that Gordon Brown is losing control of his own imminent cabinet reshuffle in a climate of “widespread chaos”.

Smith’s majority in her Redditch constituency was a marginal 2,700, and there had been concern that she would be defeated by her Conservative opponent Karen Lumley. She had claimed a number of undue expenses, including for second homes and pornographic materials for her husband.

The announcement comes as another three MPs have today said they would not stand at the next general election and makes an urgent cabinet reshuffle inevitable.