LONDON (AFP) — A government minister has apologised to a former aide who had complained about him, newspaper reports said Sunday suggesting he had bombarded her with personal text messages.
The Department of Health late Saturday said the woman, 24 at the time, was "unhappy with the nature of her working relationship" with 41-year-old junior minister Ivan Lewis.
He has "apologised unreservedly" over the incidents in 2007, which came a year after he separated from his wife, it said.
The Mail on Sunday and News of the World newspapers said Lewis sent dozens of text messages to Susie Mason, who had been appointed to his private office when he joined the department in 2006.
The News of the World said the texts did not go as far as being sexually explicit but said Lewis started out with jokes but later went on to comment about her looks and ask her out on dates.
The woman, now 25, has since joined an accountancy firm.
Both tabloids suggested Lewis may be on his way out should Prime Minister Gordon Brown reshuffle his government in a bid to revive the Labour Party's fortunes in the polls.
Last month Lewis said voters were "angry and disappointed" with the government and suggested raising tax rates for high earners.
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