Married Tory MP and a ‘tryst’ with blonde aide, 26
‘I won’t throw away 30 years for sake of a few hours’
A MARRIED Tory MP has admitted behaving ‘completely inappropriately’ after allegedly having an affair with his blonde 26-year-old office assistant who is also married.
Steve Double, 49, a former pastor who won his seat last year after campaigning on a platform of family values, issued a statement yesterday saying he deeply regretted the pain he had caused.
His wife Anne vowed to stand by her husband, the MP for St Austell and Newquay in Cornwall, declaring: ‘I’m not throwing away 30 years of marriage for the sake of a few hours.’ She said the couple had released the statement in response to rumours that her husband was having an affair with his assistant Sarah Bunt.
When asked whether Mrs Bunt, who has been married for less than two years, was still employed by the MP, she replied: ‘She’s on leave. Put it that way.’
The MP’s office issued the statement after what it called ‘ speculation about Steve and Anne Double and their marriage’. Mr Double wrote: ‘I have behaved completely inappropriately and deeply regret the pain I have caused those closest to me.
‘Anne and I are committed to being together and seeking to move forward in our marriage. I accept I have work to do to recover the trust and respect of those around me.
‘I would respectfully request that people give us the time and space we need at this time.’
His wife added: ‘Although I have been deeply hurt I still love my husband. After almost 30 years I am committed to making our marriage a success for our future.’
Mr Double did not describe the nature of his inappropriate behaviour. Yesterday, when asked about the alleged affair, his wife replied: ‘You’ll have to speak to my husband.’ Mrs Double, 52, who has three sons with the MP, is employed by him as a senior case worker and diary secretary.
When asked if Mrs Bunt still worked for her husband, she said: ‘ She’s on leave. Put it that way. It’s between Steve and Sarah – an employer and his member of staff.’
She added: ‘ People can speculate and sensationalise but we are trying to work it out. I’m not throwing away 30 years of marriage for the sake of a few hours.’
The alleged affair is believed to have come to light only in the last few days as Mrs Bunt was still tweeting about doing a ‘full working day’ as recently as May 27. Mrs Bunt, who was previously a local newspaper reporter for the Newquay Voice, still describes herself as a ‘case worker’ for the MP on Twitter.
She has been married for a year and a half and enjoys Pilates and boxing, according to her Twitter account.
Last night her husband, Matthew, 33, who works for a local radio station, returned to the marital home alone. He repeatedly refused to answer questions about his wife’s alleged affair.
Standing on the doorstep of the couple’s two-bedroom terraced home in Newquay he appeared visibly upset as he said: ‘I’ve got no comment to make, I’m sorry.’ Mr Double was unavailable for comment last night as he is flying to Tel Aviv to speak at a travel and tourism conference.
He became an MP in May 2015 when he won the seat from Liberal Democrat Stephen Gilbert with a majority of 8,000.
The Tory politician wrote on his website last year: ‘ The traditional fabric of family and community life is under siege as never before.’ He said as an MP he hoped to ‘provide community leadership and support the structures that bind us together’.
Whilst campaigning to become an MP, he wrote: ‘Like many people, family has a very special place in my life. I believe that strong families are the basis of a strong society.
‘In my view many of the problems and challenges our country faces could be improved by supporting families and this is something I am committed to do.’
Mr Double added that he has ‘been involved in local church and charity work for most of my life
‘I still love my husband’ ‘Trying to work it out’
including 12 years as a pastor’.
Mr Bunt’s Twitter profile picture still shows the couple. In April, he posted a picture of his wife and his dog saying: ‘ This picture makes me so happy.’
Mrs Bunt could not be reached for comment last night. Her salary is not published, but case workers for MPs are paid up to £25,758. Mrs Double’s salary will be published in November. She can receive up to £28,849. MPs decide what their staff are paid.
This latest revelation comes just weeks after it was revealed that two SNP MPs had conducted affairs with the same woman.
Stewart Hosie, 53, separated from his wife, Scottish health minister Shona Robison, after having an affair with journalist Serena Cowdy, 36.
Miss Cowdy had earlier had a fling with Angus MacNeil, 45, whose marriage ended last year.