Labour has today called on the Government to make the Independent
Advisor on Ministerial Standards properly independent and give
the role holder the powers to trigger their own investigations.
Currently the role of the Advisor can only trigger investigations
with permission of the Prime Minister. Currently the post is
vacant and has been for five-months.
On 17 April the Chair of the Committee of Standards in Public
Life called for this type of independence in this role to ensure
proper accountability and scrutiny, and warned that the
Government 'risks public trust' without probes into ministers.
, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, in response to the Urgent Question today to
the Minister for the Cabinet Office, calling on him to update the
House on the Ministerial Code said:
***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY***
“There must be no bullying and no harassment, no leaking, no
misuse of taxpayer money, and no actual or perceived conflicts of
interest.”
These words are from the Prime Minister’s foreword to the
Ministerial Code.
I don’t know if he believed them then, but he is trampling on
them today.
The Prime Minister is now corrupting the standards of public life
expected in high office.
As he tries to cover up payments for the luxury refurbishment of
his Downing Street flat, possibly breaking the law through
undeclared loans.
As for leaks, we are now seeing the pipes burst with the sewage
of allegations.
The fish rots from the head down.
There is a reason why there is no Independent Advisor on
Ministerial Standards.
There is a reason why the Government won’t publish the long
overdue list of Ministerial Interests.
The Prime Minister hasn’t wanted them.
This is a Prime Minister who would rather “let the bodies pile
high” than act on scientific advice.
They are not bodies. They are people and loved ones, and they are
missed.
When will the Government publish the Register of Minsters’
Financial Interests?
Who paid the invoices for the Prime Minister’s flat refurbishment
in the first place, and when were those funds repaid?
When will the vacancy for the Independent Advisor on Ministerial
Standards be filled and will they be given powers to trigger
independent investigations?
And, finally, will the minister apologise for the stomach
churning comments that have come out today, and urgently announce
a public inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic?
This is all about conduct, character and decency.
Our country deserves so much better than this.
