BORIS’S HALL OF SHAME
Ministerial Code ‘broken 29 times’
BORIS Johnson’s ministers have been branded a “hall of shame” after members of his top team were accused of breaking the ministerial code 29 times under his leadership.
Labour said the “rot and rule-breaking” had spread “through this Tory Government from the very top”.
Sunday People research found dozens of cases where some ministers had apparently broken rules, from failing to declare earnings to dodgy lobbying.
Mr Johnson has long been accused of failing to discipline ministers over rule-breaking.
And this month he was accused of watering down the code so ministers could get away with minor code breaches without resigning.
He also blocked moves to allow Lord Geidt, his ethics adviser, to launch his own investigations into the behaviour of ministers.
Lord Geidt will face MPS on Tuesday to give evidence to a Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee probe.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Boris Johnson is presiding over a hall of shame in Downing Street. This catalogue of sleaze and scandal shows the rot and rule
breaking that has spread through this Tory Government from the very top.
“His motley crew of disgraced ministers are heaping yet more shame on our country each and every day they cling to office.
“The PM is now trying to rig the rules and lower the bar so he and his cronies can escape punishment for wrongdoing.
“Labour has a plan to clean up politics and restore the standards in public life that this PM has dragged through the mud.”
The list of alleged ministerial misdemeanours includes the row over funding for Mr Johnson’s lavish Downing Street flat refurbishment.
Another is former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick’s move to overturn a planning decision after it emerged he exchanged texts with the Tory donor behind the controversial Westferry Printworks development. He denied any link.
Ex-health Secretary Matt Hancock also avoided any sanctions by initially failing to declare his stake in an NHS supplier. He eventually resigned over his affair with aide Gina Coladangelo after the PM refused to sack him after CCTV showed them kissing.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister expects all ministers to maintain high standards of behaviour. All of these issues have been addressed previously and explanations have been set out publicly.”