Cardinal Keith O' Brine, British's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, has resigned with immediate effect in the wake of allegations of inappropriate behavior, as pressure mounts on cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles to stay away from papal vote over allegations of covering up for priests who sexually abused children when he was the Archbishop of Los Angeles. O' Brien, who as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh was leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, denies allegations that he made sexual advances towards priests in the 1980s. He had been due to be the only cardinal from Britain to vote on a replacement for Pope Benedict XVI following the pontiff's shock resignation on February 11. But O' Brien confirmed that he would not now take part in next month's conclave. "I will not join them for this conclave in Rome," he said, "I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me, but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor. Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation, when will sexual allegations stop in my Church, is celibacy the problem?