Separated Tory MP's privacy plea

Mr Barker helped Mr Cameron's leadership campaign

A Tory frontbench MP and close ally of David Cameron has appealed for privacy after reports that his 14-year marriage ended when he left his wife for a man.

Environment spokesman Greg Barker, who represents Bexhill and Battle in East Sussex, confirmed that he and his wife had separated during the summer.

And both of them were now "entitled to a private life", the 40-year-old said.

A Conservative party spokeswoman declined to comment, while Mr Barker's constituency office was unavailable.

The MP joined Mr Cameron's leadership campaign and helped organise the high profile trip to Norway to assess global warming.

Newspaper reports suggest Mr Cameron will stand by Mr Barker, who was elected to the House of Commons in 2001.