That was David Cameron's choice on Jeremy Hunt. Either an immediate resignation when the facts demanded it or weeks of shame as the accusations are repeated and, as in this case, enlarged.
The Guardian reported my belief that Jeremy Hunt had clearly "dumped on" his former special advisor Adam Smith. I promised the issue would be considered by the the public administration select committee. Unfortunately the committee is ducking its responsibility. There is already a probe into special advisers promised and the Hunt case will be included in that. However this dodges the central issue which is the new sleaze of a government who are wilfully degrading the major reform of the ministerial code..
This is why I have put down an EDM that is critical of the committee's neglect of their duty.
Yesterday I repeated a line I have been using since the scandal broke. I asked the Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Haywood is he had reminded the Prime Minister the lesson of the David Mellor scandal,
A resignation delayed is a disgrace multiplied
He has not.
Ministerial Code
That this House regrets the failure to investigate legitimately three alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code by the former Defence Secretary, the Communities Secretary and the Culture Secretary, notes that the former Independent Adviser said at the time of his resignation that he should have investigated the alleged breach of the code by the former Defence Minister; condemns the failure of Government's to respect the unanimous view of the Public Administrative Committee that the replacement Independent Adviser is unsuitable for his role; calls on the Select Committee to do its duty and investigate the degradation of the valuable reform enshrined in the Ministerial Code.
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