Christian MP regrets ‘grief ’ caused by extramarital affair
A CONSERVATIVE MP at the centre of a love triangle has said he wished he had never hired the blonde assistant with whom he had an affair because of the “grief ” it had caused.
Steve Double, 49, a former pastor, told The Telegraph he had dumped his lover by telephone last week after news of the relationship began to circulate. He then confessed to his wife Anne, 51, in a “tearful” showdown at their marital home in St Austell, Cornwall.
Mr Double embarked on his affair with Sarah Bunt, 26, several weeks ago, although the MP said the precise moment depended “on how you define an affair”. Mrs Bunt was hired as an administrative assistant and worked alongside Anne Double in the constituency office. She is now on “leave” and her future employment will be discussed with Mr Double later this week.
Last month, around the time the affair is thought to have begun, Mrs Bunt travelled to Westminster for a speechwriting course understood to have been paid for out of Mr Double’s taxpayer-funded office.
Asked if he regretted giving Mrs Bunt the job, Mr Double, who is in Tel Aviv speaking at a conference, told The Tele
graph: “If I could have known the grief it has caused I would not have done it [given her the job]. If I could only undo what happened.” He added: “This affair had only been going on a few weeks. I don’t want to get drawn into the details of when it began. It depends on how you define an affair.”
Mr Double, whose father founded an Evangelical church in St Austell, which he took over until 15 years ago, said: “I confessed to Anne last week. We are both committed Christians and we are both forgiving. I am incredibly grateful to my wife. She is an amazing woman. I doubly regret what I put her through. I love her more than ever.”
Mr Double insisted “that no tax payers’ money has been spent on conducting the affair”.