Francis Maude asks eight questions of the Cabinet Secretary

Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Francis Maude MP, has written a letter to the Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell asking eight questions relating to the Damian McBride revelations.  The letter is published in full below:

“Dear Gus,

The e-mails sent by Damian McBride raise serious concerns about the operation of 10 Downing Street, and the degree to which the rules about the role of Special Advisers are being enforced.

Mr McBride was hardly a peripheral figure. He was personally appointed by the Prime Minister and directly responsible to him. He worked alongside the Minister for the Civil Service, Tom Watson, at the heart of the Prime Minister's office.

I am sure you will agree that this episode is of fundamental importance to the integrity of the conduct of government, which you have an important role in protecting.

This weekend's revelations have left many questions unanswered.  I am writing to ask you to take action to provide answers to these as a matter of urgency.

In particular, I would be grateful if you could please answer the following questions:

1. Who was party to e-mail exchanges suggesting smear stories against Conservative MPs?

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?

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?

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?

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

6. Can you confirm that Mr McBride is no longer paid by the taxpayer, and that he will not receive any severance pay?

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?

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?

As I am sure you are aware, this affair raises broader concerns about the degree to which a government which has been in office for twelve years thinks it can simply ignore the rules, and the extent to which the

Code of Conduct for Special Advisers - as well as the Ministerial Code - are being properly upheld. These concerns will only grow as we approach the forthcoming General Election. I would therefore be grateful to know what action you are taking to ensure that the relevant codes are being rigorously enforced, and to reassure both the Conservative Party - and the other opposition parties - that there neither are nor will be any similar initiatives from within the British Government, either now or in the future.

Given the public interest in this matter, I am releasing this letter to the Press.”

The Rt Hon Francis Maude MP
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office"

Comments

[Josh]

Why do ministers keep sending each other letters? Surely it is more efficient to simply email each other. I'm all for writing letters. I hate email, and only have an account in order to sign up for certain things, but all of this posturing in the media is just to give the impression of action being taken.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

I agree; this is starting to turn into a Westminster village story now. Maude can make sounding pompous an artform. There's only ONE question the public need to have lodged in their minds:

"Why did Gordon Brown use taxpayers' money to pay a political attack dog to fabricate lies about opponents on his behalf?"

I enjoyed the fun as much as anyone over Easter, but let's move this on before we get bogged down like we did on Damian Green.

[Adam in London]

Letters are official correspondence. So for example, when the Chief Secretary to the Treasury works out what the Departmental settlement will be, she writes a letter to the relevant Secretary of State setting it out - and that's the official record of what was agreed.

[Adam Cowen]

I disagree. This is starting to resonate on the doorstep in areas usually less obviously favourable to the Conservatives. People are getting the message that Labour will do anything and say anything to cling to power. Worse, they will use taxpayers' money to pay for it.

[joshuwahwah]

Didn't Davis Davis get accused of a similar campaign during Cameron's election campaign

Daily Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-365547/Cameron-campaign-chief-cocaine-pictures.html

[Deborah]

According to the BBC:

Fellow Labour MP Frank Field, a former minister, said: "Harold Wilson asserted that the Labour Party was a moral crusade or it was nothing.

"The McBride affair has left Labour members looking at nothing. That is the reality check that McBride has wrought on the party."

[Sam R]

Who is Davis Davis? (at 16.06)

[Span Ows]

I disagree too (that is, I agree with Adam Cowen!) In the article FM's last line is: Given the public interest in this matter, I am releasing this letter to the Press. He's right and the public not only have a right to know but they WANT to know. The overt way that Labour and what's left of their tame media support keep screaming that it was only a spat of childish emails between McBride and Draper - which is clearly spin - means that there are probably AT LEAST 2 more heads that could roll...

[Cleethorpes Rock]

You may be right, but every story has a point where it "jumps the shark" and drags on just a bit too long. I think on this story, the Fonz has already got his skis on and is heading towards said shark.

Getting Cameron to shift the emphasis back to the economy would show him to be concerned with the big issue, while Brown flounders around trying to save himself, drawing ever more attention as he does so.

[joshuwahwah]

'Getting Cameron to shift the emphasis back to the economy would show him to be concerned with the big issue,'

You really have no idea do you? The reason the Tories want stories like this to run are to detract from the economy in which they have no idea or clue how to sort out.

[David]

Joshuwahwah; the reason the Tories want stories like this to run is because it shows what a sinister regime is currently running this country. Labour are the 'nasty party' without any shadow of doubt, and it's clearly eating you up inside. And isn't the 'Tories have no idea how to fix the economy' line running a bit thin now? You know, since pretty much the entire world has fallen in line with the Conservative position?

Furthermore, this story is essentially out of the hands of the Conservatives. They can't make news on this; only the media and Gordon Brown can. And he's done a fine job at doing that with his useless attempts at letters which actually appear to have made the situation even worse.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

and Labour DO have an idea of how to sort the economy? If so, please let us know what the grand plan is; we're all ears.

[David Belchamber]

Surely the thing to do is for David Cameron and George Osborne to attack Brown on the handling of the economy, Andrew Lansley to attack Brown on the plight of NHS dentistry, ward cleaning etc and Gove to attack Brown on Sir Cyril Taylor's report on the state of our schools, while Francis Maude gets on with the job of dealing with rotten state of 10 Downing Street.

We don't have to take it in turns!

[pp]

If brown had a clue on the economy or anything else frank field wouldn't be complaining that MPs are twiddling their thumbs with nothing to do. (Not that I have heard the opposition MPs complaining about being under worked, wonder what they have been doing with all their free time?...)

http://www.frankfield.com/blog/q/date/2009/04/14/darkness-at-the-heart-of-the-labour-party/

[Thatcherite88]

An admirable attempt, but this is labour - do you seriously expect straight answers?

[Norm Brainer]

- do you seriously expect straight answers?

Do you really expect Any answers?

[m]

Maybe I've missed them but there seems to be an absence of messages from Jack Stone these days. Wonder what that meeans...

[Martin Keegan]

I recall Dominic Grieve formally asked about thirty questions in the wake of the Damian Green affair; did they get answered?

[ToryBlog.com - Not a roon]

Good letter. It is vital to keep up the pressure.

It is no substitute for policy, as Alastair Campbell fairly argued over the weekend, but it is vital to shake out every Labour stooge involved in this.

[griswold]

I think it in Mr O'Donnell's best interests to answer the questions.

1. He is likely to have a new political master before he retires.

2. His own civil service in which the significant majority are decent people detest the Spads and here is an opportunity to neuter this corrupt band oh patronage place-men.

3. Mr O'Donnell is himself an honourable man.

He now has every reason to ask Brown to supply the answers. After all he needs to reply to Mr Maude. Who will not go away.

[Paul D]

I like the tone of the letter - try to find out exactly who knew what and what is going on, particularly point 6. If Brown has the nerve to keep siphoning taxpayers' cash to McPoison after this then all hell really must break loose

[snegchui]

Point 7:

Apparently Mr Watson has called in Carter-Ruck Solicitors (Guido's website as source) to see off any further attacks on his allegedly tarnished name.

[UKIP Campaigner]

"You really have no idea do you? The reason the Tories want stories like this to run are to detract from the economy in which they have no idea or clue how to sort out.

Posted by: joshuwahwah | April 14, 2009 at 16:35"

Labour has no idea on anything. Sod off back to your lying smearing scumbag cronies.

Or to put it in Blairite Campbell speak - F*ck off you C*nt!

[Malcolm Dunn]

Do we really want stuff like this on this blog? I suggest you go to your own UKIP blogs UKIP Campaigner, if you can find one.

[Delta]

It's over, McBride is gone, let's get back to the real politics.

I don't think we're going to get an apology

[Denis Cooper]

"... this episode is of fundamental importance to the integrity of the conduct of government ..."

Which is why the police should investigate it, with a view to bringing criminal charges.

[Hamish Sale]

The worst thing about this whole saga is that it has given the dreadful Nadine Dorries airtime. Everytime I hear her droning voice I feel like screaming: "Kill me now!".

[Mr Angry]

Whilst the questions Francis Maude asks are all good ones, the answers to which would likely drag Labour even further down in the eyes of the electorate, this letter is rather like writing to a Turkey asking it to support Christmas.