Lib Dems say former Foreign Office chief’s letter exposes cover-up relating to allegations of misconduct against former deputy chief whip
- No 10 not telling truth about Chris Pincher says former top civil servant
- Timeline of allegations
In line with what has become recent practice, Boris Johnson invited a film crew into Downing Street this morning to film his politburo-style address to his ministers. He did not mention the Chris Pincher scandal at all in the excerpt shown on Sky News just now, but instead talked up the national insurance cut coming into force this week (which does not compensate for the NI rise already introduced this year). Johnson said:
[The national insurance cut] will be in people’s pay packets from tomorrow onwards and amongst other things it is there to help people up and down the country with the cost of living.
It’s part of the £37bn that we are able to spend to help people through the current pressures on food prices, on energy prices, that we are seeing. It shows that the government is firmly on the side of the British people.
I briefed the relevant senior official in the Cabinet Office. You will understand that such complaints about ministers are very rare, very sensitive, they are dealt with at the very top level. And so I had the help and support of the Cabinet Office through the investigation.
I know that the senior official briefed the prime minister in person because that official told me so at the time.
It is very unusual for a retired official to do what I have done this morning. I did it by myself, because what I have seen and read over the last few days I knew to be wrong. And you know, things get to a point where you have to do the right thing.
First of all, Number 10 have had five full days to get the story correct and that has still not happened.
I dispute the use of the word resolved. For me resolved is too positive a word. It sounds as though a happy and agreed conclusion was reached. No, the complaint was upheld. So to leave the impression that in some way Mr Pincher was exonerated is wrong.
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