Opposition Conservative Lord Wakeham said today he was stepping aside as chairman of Britain's Press Complaints Commission to answer questions about his links with the collapsed energy company Enron.
Lord Wakeham said the move was temporary while investigators in the United States looked into his links to Enron. "It was a matter of honour," he said in a statement.
Lord Wakeham, a former Conservative energy minister, was a non-executive director of Enron.
"As chairman of the Press Complaints Commission for the past seven years, I am only too aware of the damage that can be done to individuals and institutions that are thrust into the public spotlight," his statement said.
"Since the collapse of Enron, I have been unable to make any statement or undertake any interviews on the subject for legal reasons. I am conscious that some see this position as incompatible with the chairmanship of the commission".
Lord Wakeham's commission handles complaints about media intrusion and invasions of privacy.