Johnson could scrap role of ethics adviser

Lord Geidt quit post ‘over trade’ but having said PM did not respect ministerial code amid partygate

Boris Johnson could scrap the role of ethics adviser to Downing Street after Lord Geidt resigned and accused him of “making a mockery” of the ministerial code. Lord Geidt said he resigned because of a disagreement over trade policy, but he has previously criticised the Prime Minister’s handling of partygate. In a letter released yesterday, he wrote of his “frustration” that the Prime Minister had failed to explain how he had not broken the ministerial code.

BORIS JOHNSON could scrap the role of ethics adviser to Downing Street after Lord Geidt resigned from the Government and accused him of “making a mockery” of the ministerial code.

Lord Geidt said he resigned because of a disagreement over trade policy, but he has previously criticised the Prime Minister’s handling of partygate.

In a letter released yesterday, he wrote of his “frustration” that the Prime Minister did not do more to explain how he had not broken the ministerial code when he told MPS that he believed Covid guidance was followed at all times in Downing Street.

The timing of his resignation, two days after he was questioned by MPS over partygate, prompted speculation that his objections to the steel tariff policy were actually an excuse to leave the Government.

One former Cabinet minister said: “It’s quite an anodyne reason to resign.

“I think it’s a pretext for the fact that he’s had a monstering by the [Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs] committee. He probably thought: ‘Why the f--- should I put up with this any more?’

“He’s probably going to spend more time with his sheep and, frankly, who can blame him?”

Lord Geidt, who also sits as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, owns a sheep farm in the Minches in northwest Scotland.

Downing Street sources yesterday suggested that following Lord Geidt’s resignation, his role could be scrapped altogether and replaced with a body or committee to advise Mr Johnson on ministerial misconduct.

A spokesman said a new adviser would not be appointed until after a review of the role to be held by No10.

“The Prime Minister’s view is that Lord Geidt has raised a number of issues [...] that he wants to carefully consider,” the spokesman said, adding that it is “right the time is taken to consider carefully how best to do this, before deciding exactly who and what that function will be.”

Until then, the job will be done by civil servants working in the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics unit - the same team that investigated Mr Johnson over partygate.

It is understood Lord Geidt recently advised Mr Johnson that a decision to maintain tariffs on Chinese steel imports could be considered a breach of the Ministerial Code because it would conflict with the UK’S obligations to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

In his resignation letter he said Mr Johnson had planned a “deliberate and purposeful” breach of the code that put him in an “impossible and odious position”.

“This would make a mockery not only of respect for the code but licence [sic] the suspensions of its provisions in governing the conduct of Her Majesty’s ministers,” he said.

Yesterday Downing Street admitted that the ethics adviser was rarely consulted on trade policy, but defended Mr Johnson’s decision to ask him if it had implications for the ministerial code.

“My understanding is this is a relatively unusual situation, but the Prime Minister would always seek to ensure that he has the right level of advice from all sides,” Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said. “So in this instance, that includes the Trade Remedies Authority. And also, he felt it right to consult Lord Geidt on this as well.”

In an interview with ITV, Rishi Sunak last night insisted he had not broken the ministerial code, despite Lord Geidt’s suggestion that being fined over partygate could itself constitute a breach. But he said he was “sad” to see the ethics adviser leave Downing Street and said he is “really sorry for both the hurt and the anger [the fine] caused”.

SIR – By all previous standards, the Prime Minister’s position would now be untenable (“Lord Geidt resigns as Boris Johnson’s ethics chief ”, report, June 16). His continued presence brings shame to the office of Prime Minister and to this great nation. Tory MPS now can’t remove him unless party rules are changed, and the electorate has no say for a couple of years. What a sorry state of affairs. Simon Malcolm

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire