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John Whittingdale accused of misleading parliament over BBC story in Sunday Times John Whittingdale accused of misleading parliament over BBC story in Sunday Times
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Labour has accused Conservative minister John Whittingdale of misleading parliament and called for an investigation into communications between his department and the Sunday Times following a series an articles that appeared in the newspaper about the government’s plans for the BBC. Labour has accused Conservative minister John Whittingdale of misleading parliament and called for an investigation into communications between his department and the Sunday Times following a series of articles that appeared in the newspaper about the government’s plans for the BBC.
Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, has asked the cabinet secretary, Jeremy Heywood, to launch a full investigation into “repeated leaks” to the newspaper, which resulted in a front-page story about the proposed green paper headlined “Tories give BBC reform ultimatum”.Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, has asked the cabinet secretary, Jeremy Heywood, to launch a full investigation into “repeated leaks” to the newspaper, which resulted in a front-page story about the proposed green paper headlined “Tories give BBC reform ultimatum”.
The letter, which was also sent to the prime minister, David Cameron, and Whittingdale, the culture secretary, calls for “an immediate investigation into serious breaches” of the ministerial code.The letter, which was also sent to the prime minister, David Cameron, and Whittingdale, the culture secretary, calls for “an immediate investigation into serious breaches” of the ministerial code.
The intervention came after Labour had obtained emails from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) under the Freedom of Information that suggested that Carrie Symonds, the special adviser to the culture secretary, had spoken to a journalist at the Sunday Times days before its publication of the story. The intervention came after Labour had obtained emails from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) under the Freedom of Information Act which suggested that Carrie Symonds, the special adviser to the culture secretary, had spoken to a journalist at the Sunday Times days before it published the story.
The email sent from the department press office on Friday 10 July to a Sunday Times journalist includes the line: “I believe Carrie has spoken to you about the announcement we’d like to give to you for this.” The “announcement” involved the membership of the advisory committee announced by the culture secretary on the Sunday.The email sent from the department press office on Friday 10 July to a Sunday Times journalist includes the line: “I believe Carrie has spoken to you about the announcement we’d like to give to you for this.” The “announcement” involved the membership of the advisory committee announced by the culture secretary on the Sunday.
However, Labour believes the investigation must also determine whether the minister or his team revealed details of the green paper ahead of its parliamentary launch, which would represent a breach of the ministerial code.However, Labour believes the investigation must also determine whether the minister or his team revealed details of the green paper ahead of its parliamentary launch, which would represent a breach of the ministerial code.
Bryant told the Guardian: “[John Whittingdale] has very serious questions to answer. The apparent breaches of the ministerial code should be investigated as a matter of urgency and where proven, the individuals should do the honourable thing.”Bryant told the Guardian: “[John Whittingdale] has very serious questions to answer. The apparent breaches of the ministerial code should be investigated as a matter of urgency and where proven, the individuals should do the honourable thing.”
The DCMS press office, which sent the email, was unavailable for a comment on Thursday but Tim Shipman, the political editor of the Sunday Times and author of the piece, categorically denied the special adviser leaked any details of the green paper. “I had two sources in Whitehall on that story and neither of them was Carrie Symonds,” he said. The DCMS press office, which sent the email, was unavailable for comment on Thursday but Tim Shipman, the political editor of the Sunday Times and author of the piece, categorically denied the special adviser leaked any details of the green paper. “I had two sources in Whitehall on that story and neither of them was Carrie Symonds,” he said.
Bryant’s letter asks for a full review of both the communication between the department and the journalist and of Whittingdale’s subsequent denial in the House of Commons when he said: “I have to say that I am not responsible for what appears in the Sunday Times.”Bryant’s letter asks for a full review of both the communication between the department and the journalist and of Whittingdale’s subsequent denial in the House of Commons when he said: “I have to say that I am not responsible for what appears in the Sunday Times.”
After receiving the redacted emails on Thursday, Bryant said: “The ministerial code is absolutely clear that a minister must tell the truth and that he alone is fully responsible for his special advisers. John Whittingdale tried to dismiss the idea that he had any involvement in briefing the Sunday Times in the House of Commons. He poured scorn on the very idea. We now know this was just an attempt to hoodwink the House because the Sunday Times story came directly from his special adviser and, contrary to what he said in the Commons, he was indeed responsible as minister for what appeared in the paper that Sunday.After receiving the redacted emails on Thursday, Bryant said: “The ministerial code is absolutely clear that a minister must tell the truth and that he alone is fully responsible for his special advisers. John Whittingdale tried to dismiss the idea that he had any involvement in briefing the Sunday Times in the House of Commons. He poured scorn on the very idea. We now know this was just an attempt to hoodwink the House because the Sunday Times story came directly from his special adviser and, contrary to what he said in the Commons, he was indeed responsible as minister for what appeared in the paper that Sunday.
“Ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the prime minister,” he added.“Ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the prime minister,” he added.
“That the secretary of state seems to have misled the House is in itself an extremely serious matter, but that he did so to cover up a potential breach of the ministerial code must now be investigated. If the code has been breached I hope whoever is responsible will do the honourable thing and resign.“That the secretary of state seems to have misled the House is in itself an extremely serious matter, but that he did so to cover up a potential breach of the ministerial code must now be investigated. If the code has been breached I hope whoever is responsible will do the honourable thing and resign.
“From the very start, the government’s handling of the BBC’s charter renewal has been a shabby affair. Repeated leaks and the hoodwinking of parliament do nothing to increase trust in politics, and cast a dark shadow over the government’s handling of our greatest artistic cultural institution.”“From the very start, the government’s handling of the BBC’s charter renewal has been a shabby affair. Repeated leaks and the hoodwinking of parliament do nothing to increase trust in politics, and cast a dark shadow over the government’s handling of our greatest artistic cultural institution.”
Labour cited a tweet from Shipman, which called Whittingdale “brave” for denying the veracity of the Sunday Times story on 16 July.Labour cited a tweet from Shipman, which called Whittingdale “brave” for denying the veracity of the Sunday Times story on 16 July.