▁over ▁the ▁issue . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁immediately ▁declare ▁the ▁payment ▁to ▁the ▁In land ▁Re venue . ▁Mr ▁Brown ▁also ▁received ▁a ▁free ▁flight ▁to ▁Connecticut ▁to ▁be ▁brief ed ▁by ▁the ▁company , ▁which ▁he ▁did ▁record ▁in ▁the ▁Register ▁of ▁M embers ' ▁Inter ests . ▁ ▁Res ignation ▁Brown ▁res igned ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁after ▁The ▁News ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁published ▁pictures ▁of ▁him ▁on ▁hol iday ▁in ▁Barb ados ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 0 - year - old ▁gay ▁man . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁consent ▁for ▁hom osex ual ▁activity ▁was ▁ 2 1 , ▁so ▁the ▁paper ▁ran ▁the ▁story ▁under ▁the ▁head line ▁" L aw maker ▁as ▁law bre aker ". ▁After ▁res ign ing , ▁Brown ▁subsequently ▁acknowled ged ▁his ▁hom osex ual ity . ▁The ▁media ▁linked ▁Brown ' s ▁res ignation ▁to ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁John ▁Major ' s ▁ill - f ated ▁Back ▁to ▁Bas ics ▁campaign . ▁ ▁After ▁West min ster ▁Brown ▁lost ▁the ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Cle eth or pes ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Initial ly ▁he ▁strugg led ▁to ▁find ▁employ ment , ▁working ▁for ▁David ▁Evans ’ ▁contract ▁clean ing ▁firm ▁( a ▁fellow ▁Conserv ative ▁MP ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁lost ▁his ▁seat ). ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁he ▁submitted ▁a ▁piece ▁for ▁The ▁Independent ▁on ▁how ▁he ▁was ▁looking ▁forward ▁to ▁being ▁can