The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life called on Boris Johnson to immediately appoint a new ethics adviser or risk undermining public confidence in the rules.
Christopher Hyde resigned as ethics adviser to the prime minister earlier this month, saying he had been put in an “impossible and disgusting” position as he had been asked to stamp a plan to maintain steel tariffs.
Lord Hyde had previously admitted at a hearing with lawmakers that it was “reasonable” to ask whether Johnson could have violated the ministerial code by being fined for violating Covid’s rules.
Following Hyde’s resignation, Downing Street made it clear that it would not replace him immediately and instead revised the oversight system of the Ministerial Code.
In a letter to Labor MP Angela Raynor, Jonathan Evans, whose job it is to monitor standards in public life, said he thought it was unsatisfactory.
“It is imperative that an independent ministerial adviser be appointed, albeit temporarily, while proposals for the role are being developed,” he said.
Lord Evans cited a blog post published by his committee on June 16, in which, even before Hyde’s resignation, he stressed that the regime for implementing the ministerial code needed to be strengthened.
“In a time of heightened concern about standards in public life, any change in the oversight of ministerial behavior must be stronger, not weaker, than we have now,” it said.
Evans meaningfully copied his letter to Raynor to a number of senior government figures, including the prime minister, promotion secretary Michael Gove, and general manager Michael Ellis, who was often sent to answer questions in parliament about Johnson’s honesty.
Raynor wrote to Evans after reports that the prime minister had tried to secure a job for his current wife, Carrie Johnson, in the State Department when he was Foreign Secretary, and later in a charity for environmental protection.
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Cabinet Secretary Simon Case – also responding to a letter from Raynor – admitted last week that he had discussed “opportunities” for Carrie Johnson with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Earthshot Award, but denied he had recommended her for a job.
“In the autumn of 2020, a former member of the № 10 team asked about opportunities for Ms. Johnson with environmental charities. “I was happy to have an informal conversation with someone participating in the Earthshot Award about the available roles, as I would do for anyone with relevant experience who wants to get involved in charity,” he said.
The case is due to appear before members of the Committee on Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs, along with Darren Tierney, director general of fairness and ethics in the cabinet.
Johnson has repeatedly faced questions about his commitment to maintaining standards in public life. Hyde’s resignation followed the departure of his predecessor, Alex Allen, who left after Johnson chose to ignore his finding that Home Secretary Priti Patel had harassed officials, albeit inadvertently.
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