Poodle or rottweiler?

 

Regular readers may recall my spat with GOD before Christmas.

The probe into the Liam Fox - Adam Werritty scandal was rushed, defective and politically inspired. David Cameron's former independent adviser on ministerial interests said today he should have been asked to look into claims that Liam Fox's friendship with his self-appointed adviser Adam Werritty broke the ministerial code.

Sir Philip Mawer, who has since stood down from the post, told the public administration select committee today: "I do believe the adviser ought to have been brought in to investigate the Fox/Werritty affair and ought to have been brought in quickly...

"I was frustrated at the failure to call me in on the Fox/Werritty affair, and I made clear to the Cabinet Office at the time I felt the credibility of the independent adviser had not been assisted by the decisions that were taken," he said.

It is straining credibility to believe that his resignation was not influenced by an investigation into the ministerial code that was itself a breach of the ministerial code. He insisted it was a coincidence.

The Cabinet Secretary, Gus O'Donnell, was tasked with looking into claims that Fox broke the ministerial code by allowing Werritty to accompany him on 18 overseas trips since the election.

I told the committee today that this is an issue of grave concern. If Liam Fox had been conducting his  own unaccountable foreign policy advised by Werrity who was funded by warmongering US neo cons, it could bring the possibility of war with Iran closer.

Mawer was succeeded in the post by Alex Allan, who also appeared before the committee. He told MPs he would step down if he felt he was "being deliberately bypassed in favour of the Cabinet Secretary doing investigations."

"I have had a brief discussion with Jeremy Heywood, Sir Gus O'Donnell's successor, about the issue, and making the point that there are advantages to him of bringing the adviser in early and whenever major issues arise, and he accepted the point," he said.

Alex is lifelong civil servant who has spent his career saying yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir to politicians. He rejected my suggestion that he was a poodle who would do what the PM demanded.This is a job for a robustly independent rottweiler. He has been appointed without advertisement or competition. He has not been through a pre-appointment hearing.

I asked what he would do if the committee decided he was not fit for this office. He said he would probably relinquish his post.'

This post was a major reform in 2008. It has been bypassed by the Prime Minister who ignored the rules of the ministerial code. The PM  has appointed a poodle to do his bidding. Will PASC do its duty?

Comments

[John Goss]

Craig Murray has posted on (unminuted) meetings between Gould, Werritty, Hague, David Milliband et al today. Fascinating reading.

http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/02/gould-werritty-the-continuing-cover-up/#comment-339070

O/T. Could you please get your readers to sign an epetition calling for the resignation of Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, for not allowing an inquest intot he death of Dr David Kelly.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petition/2613

Thanks.

[John Goss]

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petition/26133

Sorry missed a number

[John Goss]

And it should have been petitions. Try this.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/26133