SNUBBED Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has quit the Tory front bench after leader William Hague refused to put him in the shadow cabinet.

East Lancashire's lone Tory MP had expected to be given the job of Welsh spokesman in the opposition top team.

He had lobbied hard for Wales to be given a voice in the shadow cabinet and when he was offered only his current position of Welsh spokesman outside the top team he decided to quit.

Mr Evans was not speaking publicly today. But one friend revealed that he was extremely disappointed by the move.

The friend said: "He was not going to accept the Welsh job outside the shadow cabinet. He had lobbied very hard for Wales to be given a job in the shadow cabinet and didn't feel able to serve on the front bench if that was not the case.

"Nigel simply felt unable to accept a job if his views on the Welsh brief had been ignored."

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