FOREST MP Mark Harper poses behind the counter at the new post office in Mitcheldean – but it was a letter being delivered to Downing Street the same day that made national headlines.

Mr Harper resigned as immigration minister after it emerged his cleaner did not have indefinite leave to stay in the UK.

His letter to Prime Minister David Cameron was dated (Friday) February 7, the same day as he took up the invitation to open the post office in the Co-op in the centre of the village.

The post office went to the Co-op after original plans to move it to the Smithy Stores on New Road were opposed by villagers.

There was no sign of that discord as councillors and post office chiefs joined Mr Harper to celebrate the new service and longer opening hours.

But 24 hours later the MP was at the centre of unwelcome publicity after he wrote to Mr Cameron resigning from the government front bench.

There is no suggestion that Mr Harper knowingly employed an illegal immigrant – she showed him a copy of a Home Office letter from 2006 which stated she did have indefinite leave to stay.

As he was taking the Immigration Bill through Parliament last autumn, the issue of documentation came up a lot – so at the beginning of this year he decided to check his cleaner's papers again.

He could not find them but on February 6 immigration officials confirmed that she did not have permission to stay in the country.

In his resignation letter he said: "Although I complied with the law at all times, I consider that as Immigration Minister, who is taking legislation through Parliament which will toughen up our immigration laws, I should hold myself to a higher standard than expected of others.

"I have always believed that politics is a team game, not an individual sport. Under the circumstances, I have therefore decided that the right course is for me to return to the Backbenches. I am sorry for any embarrassment caused."

Mr Cameron said Mr Harper had been a "highly effective minister".

He added: "I have alway

s enormously appreciated your energy and your loyalty.

"It is typical of you that you should be so mindful of the wider interests of the Government and the Party in reaching the decision that you have, and I am very grateful for that.

"You will be greatly missed, and I hope very much that you will be able to return to service on the Front bench before too long."