PM set to axe No107 ethics adviser role (Well, he has no ethics, has he?)
Chief blast at Boris as he quits
BORIS Johnson could scrap the role of No10 ethics adviser after his latest one walked out complaining the Prime Minister placed him in an “impossible and odious” position.
Lord Geidt became the second Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests to quit on Mr Johnson’s watch.
The former private secretary to the Queen dramatically quit in a move No10 claimed was a “genuine surprise” to the PM – despite months of clashes over Partygate and the refurb of the Downing Street flat.
In his scathing resignation letter, Lord Geidt said he had been on the brink of quitting over the PM’s failure to fully address the question of whether his behaviour at Downing Street parties broke the ministerial code.
Downing Street sources said they tensions had soothed this week, with Lord Geidt telling the PM he wanted to stay in post until the end of the year.
But the final straw came on Monday when No10 asked him for advice on a potential plan, which it is understood relates to extending protections for the steel industry.
“I was tasked to offer a view about the Government’s intention to consider measures which risk a deliberate and purposeful breach of the ministerial code,” he wrote. “This request has placed me in an impossible and odious position.”
No10 said the move could clash with Britain’s obligations to the World Trade Organisation – but said a “critical national industry” was at risk.
Lord Geidt was apparently so affronted to even be asked about such a plan, that he quit on Wednesday afternoon.
No10 accepted the move appeared to be the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman said the PM was “carefully considbelieved ering” whether to directly replace Lord Geidt, or to abolish the position of Independent Adviser entirely.
He added: “The PM hasn’t made a final decision on how best to carry out that function whether it relates to a specific individual or not.”
The role was vacant for five months before Lord Geidt was appointed, following the 2020 resignation of Sir Alex Allan over the PM’s refusal to sack Priti Patel over bullying accusations.
The code could be temporarily overseen by the Cabinet Office’s ethics team, but they have even less independence than Lord Geidt.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “There are now no ethics left in this Downing Street regime propped up in office by a Conservative Party mired in sleaze and totally unable to tackle the cost of living crisis.”
This request placed me in an impossible position
LORD GEIDT ON WHY HE HAD TO QUIT