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Amid allegations about bullying and the awarding of Covid contracts, it’s clear self-restraint in public life is ebbing away
The resignation of Sir Alex Allan, the independent adviser on ministerial standards, was an inevitable consequence of Boris Johnson’s decision to decisively reject Allan’s conclusion that Priti Patel had broken the ministerial code.
The code is clear that bullying behaviour is not allowed, and Allan concluded that instances of the home secretary’s behaviour did meet the definition of bullying. The prime minister disagreed. The messy saga has decisively weakened already limited checks on ministerial behaviour, and demonstrates that if a prime minister is prepared to weather the fallout, they can overrule any independent investigation. Continue reading...