Richard Worth

Wellington, June 12 NZPA - Embattled MP Richard Worth has resigned from Parliament.

His resignation is effectively immediately.

Dr Worth was asked to resign as a minister last week after it emerged that he was under police investigation over allegations of a sexual nature involving a Korean business woman.

Prime Minister John Key had placed pressure on Dr Worth to resign saying yesterday that he was washing his hands of him.

Dr Worth said today he considered his personal welfare and that of the National Party in making his decision to resign from Parliament.

He released a statement, repeating he had not committed a crime and was confident he would be cleared of all allegations of criminal conduct.

However, he said there were things he had done in his life that seemed "unwise" in retrospect.

"My conscience is clear," Dr Worth said.

"It would be easy for me to be bitter about the avalanche of rumour and innuendo that has led me into making this decision which I regard as being in the best interests of my party.

"But it is impossible to defend oneself in the public and political arena against hearsay, character assassination and scuttlebutt."

A "campaign" had been run against him and had "Labour's fingerprints all over it", he said.

"I went into politics to make a contribution to New Zealand."

He said he could make a greater contribution through business activities.

"My wife and family stand behind me in this decision, as they have stood by me, together with our friends, in the past difficult weeks."

He had not talked publicly because the "whole episode has taken a toll on me personally".

Mr Key said Dr Worth's resignation was "a sensible course of action in the circumstances".

"The decision gives the country an opportunity to move forward and focus on the issues that matter."

He was made aware of the resignation this afternoon and welcomed the next party list member Cam Calder.

Police have contacted Dr Worth but it is not known if he had been interviewed by them yet.

He said previously he was cooperating with their investigation.

A second allegation was also made against Dr Worth by a member of the Labour Party.

The woman involved, Neelam Choudary, alleged that between November and February, Dr Worth sent dozens of text messages, some sexually explicit, and called her numerous times.

In a public statement she also said Dr Worth offered her jobs in his ministerial capacity.