Britannia Radio

the complete abandonment of any attempt to protect the civil 
service or to keep that body in a completely impartial stance.  It 
deepens the scandal

O'Donnell just couldn't be bothered to do anything!

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CONSERVATIVE HOME Blog  15.4.09
-----Centre Right-----
Posted by Jonathan Isaby  (CH's assistanf editor)
The Cabinet Secretary's response on "Smear-gate" is inadequate

Yesterday Francis Maude posed a series of questions to the Cabinet 
Secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell  about the Downing Street "Smear-gate" 
affair, to which Sir Gus replied this morning.

What is now clear is that the Cabinet Secretary will not be 
conducting an investigation into whether Damian McBride breached the 
special adviser's code prior to this incident and whether others have 
been involved in such activities as this smearing operation.

Here's my take on how Sir Gus has answered Mr Maude's letter.

1. Who was party to e-mail exchanges suggesting smear stories against 
Conservative MPs?
No answer. Sir Gus merely reports that the Prime Minister made a 
statement saying he "had been assured" that no minister or political 
adviser apart from Mr McBride had knowledge or involvement in the 
emails. Who gave him that assurance? Is his word really sufficient?

2. Who was aware of the proposal to set up the Red Rag website? 
Specifically, was the Prime Minister aware of the proposed website or 
the concept behind it?
As per 1.

3. Were any members of the media copied in to email exchanges, using 
the government e-mail system, proposing the setting up of the Red Rag 
website, or suggesting smears of the Conservative Party?
Not answered.

4. Was the use of the government e-mail system for exchanges about 
the Red Flag website or smear stories against the Conservative Party 
in breach of the Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special 
Advisers or any other relevant guidelines?
Answered. He says it was a "clear and serious breach" of the special 
advisers' Code of Conduct.

5. In the case of Mr McBride, can you confirm that his actions were 
in breach of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers?
Answered as per 4.

6. Can you confirm that Mr McBride is no longer paid by the taxpayer, 
and that he will not receive any severance pay?
Not entirely clear; he says that Mr McBride is "no longer employed as 
a special adviser", that his resignation had "immediate effect" and 
that he "has not received severance pay". But are we 100% sure he has 
not been transferred to some other role??

7. In the case of Mr Tom Watson, who is both Minister for the Civil 
Service and Minister for Digital Engagement, did he have any 
knowledge of or involvement in the Red Rag website? Are you satisfied 
that he has complied fully with the Ministerial Code, given that he 
was referred to in one of the e-mails published yesterday? What 
action have you taken to assure yourself that this is the case?
Not answered; he merely defers to Tom Watson having "made his own 
position clear".

8. What action are you taking to find out if the e-mails sent by 
Damian McBride are part of a broader pattern of activity by other 
Special Advisers, and if there are similar initiatives involving 
either officials in Downing Street or Ministers or Special Advisers 
elsewhere in the Government?
Not answered; or at least his answer is effectively: "we are not 
taking any such action".

So there are definitely further questions to be asked, one of which 
could also be the following, posed by James Forsyth on Coffee House 
this morning:

How can we take Sir Gus O'Donnell seriously when he wrote a book with 
Ed Balls?

It's true. Buy it from Amazon .  [or don't -cs]