The scandal over No 10 parties suggests the system for investigating a prime minister under the ministerial code is failing, a former adviser says.
Philip Mawer, a former adviser on ministerial interests, hit out at No 10’s stranglehold over what is investigated – as he warned public confidence has been “seriously damaged recently”.
“There is an issue around how the prime minister’s behaviour and/or lead in these matters is appropriately investigated,” he told a Commons inquiry.
And he added: “The recent Partygate affair has brought that question to the fore.”
The Conservatives have rejected a watchdog’s call for Boris Johnson to be stripped of the power to decide whether ministers are investigated for sleaze, despite public anger over sleaze.
Amid the partygate furore, No 10 hinted at a possible rethink – but nothing has been heard since about beefing up the adviser’s role.
In evidence to the Commons public administration committee, both Sir Philip and Alex Allan – who quit as the adviser when Mr Johnson refused to sack Priti Patel for bullying staff – attacked the current system.
Sir Philip added: “There has been a succession of events recently which have called into question public confidence.
“They bring what I regard as the honourable profession of politics into disrepute.”
Sir Alex agreed that the current system is “not satisfactory”, calling for the adviser on ministerial interests – currently Christopher Geidt – to be able to launch investigations, to give “credibility to the process”.
Otherwise, there would “always be suspicion” that – where no expected inquiry took place – the prime minister had simply decided not to refer the matter for a probe.
He declined to give details, but referred to a case where he expected to start an investigation, but suddenly learned that the No 10 spokesman that there would not be one.
“If the independent adviser had the ability to initiate investigations that would add to the credibility of the process,” Sir Alex told the committee.
He also agreed there is a case for strengthening the ministerial code following criticism of ministers for using WhatsApp and other social media for official communications.
“I think it probably would be improvement for the code to make it clear what is or isn’t acceptable,” Sir Alex said.
Mr Johnson refused to allow investigations of Robert Jenrick and Matt Hancock, a controversy fuelled by the botched attempt to fix anti-sleaze rules to clear Owen Paterson.
But the issue has been given rocket fuel by the investigation into the No 10 parties, which is still in the hands of the Metropolitan Police.
The prime minister is accused of lying to the Commons and the ministerial code states that “ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation”.
However, the current rules leaves Mr Johnson interpreting and enforcing the code himself.
