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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/dec/21/damian-green-sacking-theresa-may-politics-live
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| Damian Green sacking prompts new trouble for Theresa May – politics live | Damian Green sacking prompts new trouble for Theresa May – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| And for all those commenters asking when David Davis will be handing in his resignation letter: don’t hold your breath. | |
| There has been speculation about whether the Brexit secretary, David Davis, could follow Green out of the door, given his previous threat to quit if his colleague were forced out. | |
| However, the threat was caveated carefully: | |
| The Brexit secretary let it be known that he would resign in protest were Green to be forced out solely on the basis of allegations by former Met officers, although he accepted that other factors could lead to Green having to quit as first secretary of state. | |
| And Davis appears to have let it be known on Wednesday night that he was going nowhere. | |
| And here are those two statements made by Green last month that the inquiry judged were “inaccurate and misleading” and breached the ministerial code. | |
| 4 November | |
| The police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my parliamentary computer, nor did I have a ‘private’ computer, as has been claimed. The allegations about the material and computer, now nine years old, are false, disreputable political smears from a discredited police officer acting in flagrant breach of his duty to keep the details of police investigations confidential, and amount to little more than an unscrupulous character assassination. | |
| 11 November | |
| I reiterate that no allegations about the presence of improper material on my parliamentary computers have ever been put to me or to the parliamentary authorities by the police. I can only assume that they are being made now, nine years later, for ulterior motives. | |
| 20 December | |
| I accept that I should have been clear in my press statements that police lawyers talked to my lawyers in 2008 about the pornography on the computers, and that the police raised it with me in a subsequent phone call in 2013. I apologise that my statements were misleading on this point. | |
| For those readers who weren’t awake for the politics live blog’s early start this morning, a reminder of the key findings from the inquiry, issued by the cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood. (The bolding is mine.) | |
| The investigation has concluded: | |
| that Mr Green’s conduct as a minister has generally been both professional and proper; | |
| that with competing and contradictory accounts of what were private meetings, it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion on the appropriateness of Mr Green’s behaviour with Kate Maltby in 2015, though the investigation found Ms Maltby’s account to be plausible; | |
| that Mr Green’s statements of 4 and 11 November, which suggested that he was not aware that indecent material was found on parliamentary computers in his office, were inaccurate and misleading, as the Metropolitan police service had previously informed him of the existence of this material. These statements therefore fall short of the honesty requirement of the Seven Principles of Public Life and constitute breaches of the ministerial code. Mr Green accepts this. | |
| It goes on: | |
| The cabinet office investigation has not looked into the 2008 police investigation itself. That is a matter for the police, not for the cabinet office; and in any event has no bearing on Mr Green’s ability or conduct as first secretary of state. | |
| Mr Green continues to deny that he viewed the pornography found on his parliamentary computers and the investigation reaches no conclusion on this matter. | |
| Theresa May is prepared to challenge her Polish counterpart over his government’s controversial interference in the country’s judicial system, Downing Street said, as the prime minister flew to Warsaw on Thursday. | |
| Her visit will come in the aftermath of an unprecedented decision by the EU to censure Poland for a “serious breach” of its values, which could ultimately see Warsaw stripped of its voting rights in Brussels. | |
| May and senior cabinet ministers face a delicate diplomatic challenge for the visit, which had been intended to underline the UK’s defence and security cooperation with eastern Europe. | |
| Ministers see Poland and other eastern European countries as potential key allies in trade talks, given their desire to retain close security cooperation. | |
| In Warsaw, May will announce a new joint UK-Poland treaty on defence and security cooperation, only the second such treaty the UK has signed, after one with France. The governments will also jointly launch UK-funded offensives to combat alleged Russian state-sponsored “disinformation”. | |
| The UK has remained neutral in the growing rift between Poland’s hardline right-wing government and the European Union, concerned about the image of Brussels’ apparent interference with a country’s domestic affairs. | |
| However, May’s spokesman said she would not shirk a difficult conversation with the new Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, but stopped short of saying the UK would vote to censure Poland when potential action against the country is put before EU leaders. | |
| In what is presumably a pre-recorded interview for the Radio 4 Today programme, health secretary Jeremy Hunt will apparently have some harsh words for his former cabinet colleague: | |
| He was sacked. He did lie @Jeremy_Hunt doesn’t mince his words about @DamianGreen on @BBCr4today. Interview coming up at 08.10 | |
| As noted earlier, we’re not anticipating a reshuffle today, or this year in fact, with Theresa May not expected to conjure up a new first secretary of state/minister for the cabinet office/de facto deputy prime minister until after the parliamentary recess. | |
| There is another administrative headache brewing as Green chaired nine cabinet committees, including the sub-committees for: | |
| European Union exit and trade (international trade) | |
| European Union exit and trade (domestic preparedness, legislation and devolution) | |
| European Union exit and trade (European affairs) | |
| National security council (threats, hazards, resilience and contingencies) | |
| Social reform (home affairs) | |
| And the implementation taskforces for: | |
| Housing | |
| Digital | |
| Immigration | |
| Employment and skills | |
| Some of his other duties have already been doled out to colleagues, according to the Sun’s political editor: | |
| For now, Green's constitutional tasks - devolution and Brexit liaison with regions - will be taken on by the Chief Whip and Scots, Welsh and NI Secretaries. https://t.co/5VBSy4eJNv | |
| Comments are now switched on, should you want to come and chat below the line. | Comments are now switched on, should you want to come and chat below the line. |
| It seemed impossible that Theresa May could be rendered a lonelier figure than she has been of late, but with Damian Green now the first secretary of state as was she seems lonelier than ever. Her devoted lieutenants Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were torn from her nest. Now Green, her anchor in a sea of Brexit, has gone. | It seemed impossible that Theresa May could be rendered a lonelier figure than she has been of late, but with Damian Green now the first secretary of state as was she seems lonelier than ever. Her devoted lieutenants Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were torn from her nest. Now Green, her anchor in a sea of Brexit, has gone. |
| This was not a ministerial performance issue. That doesn’t happen. If performance and competence were salient these days May’s cabinet meetings would not be quorate. Rather, his fate was sealed by continuing questions about his alleged behaviour and character. And principally his failure to speak candidly about his knowledge of claims that pornography was found on his parliamentary computer – he still denies having downloaded or viewed pornography – and allegations that he made inappropriate advances to the young journalist Kate Maltby, a family friend. May had to part company with him. But without Green, she loses political balance and an ally as she stumbles towards Brexit. | This was not a ministerial performance issue. That doesn’t happen. If performance and competence were salient these days May’s cabinet meetings would not be quorate. Rather, his fate was sealed by continuing questions about his alleged behaviour and character. And principally his failure to speak candidly about his knowledge of claims that pornography was found on his parliamentary computer – he still denies having downloaded or viewed pornography – and allegations that he made inappropriate advances to the young journalist Kate Maltby, a family friend. May had to part company with him. But without Green, she loses political balance and an ally as she stumbles towards Brexit. |
| What is worse is the extent to which this shabby affair has further corroded our ailing politics. Green, though clearly damaged beyond usefulness or reasonable repair some time ago, was allowed to carry on as though nothing untoward was happening. While officials conducted formal inquiries and former police officers levelled explosive allegations, he was sent to the dispatch box as spokesman for the government. Commercial or even public entities in similar circumstances might have suspended him from normal duties or at least tucked him into shade. Instead May shone a light and said to the world – and his accusers – this is still our champion. | What is worse is the extent to which this shabby affair has further corroded our ailing politics. Green, though clearly damaged beyond usefulness or reasonable repair some time ago, was allowed to carry on as though nothing untoward was happening. While officials conducted formal inquiries and former police officers levelled explosive allegations, he was sent to the dispatch box as spokesman for the government. Commercial or even public entities in similar circumstances might have suspended him from normal duties or at least tucked him into shade. Instead May shone a light and said to the world – and his accusers – this is still our champion. |
| With the de facto deputy prime minister gone, this is a reasonable question: | With the de facto deputy prime minister gone, this is a reasonable question: |
| Jetting off to Poland this morning with the PM, who is taking five cabinet ministers with her - Chancellor, Defence sec, Foreign sec, Home sec, Business sec. Not entirely sure who's in charge at home.... | Jetting off to Poland this morning with the PM, who is taking five cabinet ministers with her - Chancellor, Defence sec, Foreign sec, Home sec, Business sec. Not entirely sure who's in charge at home.... |
| No Christmas prizes for guessing what leads the front pages today. We get multiple takes on the ousting of the deputy prime minister, from Metro’s curt “Green out” to City AM’s careful “Theresa May ally Damian Green resigns amid pornography allegations”. | No Christmas prizes for guessing what leads the front pages today. We get multiple takes on the ousting of the deputy prime minister, from Metro’s curt “Green out” to City AM’s careful “Theresa May ally Damian Green resigns amid pornography allegations”. |
| The Guardian front page, Thursday 21.12.17: Green sacked after admitting he lied over pornographic images pic.twitter.com/EHQhCqy5Fz | The Guardian front page, Thursday 21.12.17: Green sacked after admitting he lied over pornographic images pic.twitter.com/EHQhCqy5Fz |
| The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and the Sun agree that, despite the niceties exchanged in letters between May and Green, he was indeed sacked. The Times says he was “forced out over computer porn cover-up”, while the Mirror hits harder with: “May axes her deputy over porn lies.” | The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and the Sun agree that, despite the niceties exchanged in letters between May and Green, he was indeed sacked. The Times says he was “forced out over computer porn cover-up”, while the Mirror hits harder with: “May axes her deputy over porn lies.” |
| The Daily Mail is a lone lamenting voice, sighing: “What a sad way to go.” | The Daily Mail is a lone lamenting voice, sighing: “What a sad way to go.” |
| Thursday's DAILY MAIL: What a sad way to go #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/D1du1hapEq | Thursday's DAILY MAIL: What a sad way to go #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/D1du1hapEq |
| The Financial Times has a nod to Green but leads on Bank of England promises of easy access for European banks in London post-Brexit. The i splashes on a report that the UK wants “total secrecy” for trade talks with the US. And the Daily Express says you can beat dementia by eating salad every day. | The Financial Times has a nod to Green but leads on Bank of England promises of easy access for European banks in London post-Brexit. The i splashes on a report that the UK wants “total secrecy” for trade talks with the US. And the Daily Express says you can beat dementia by eating salad every day. |
| Incidentally, if you’d like a roundup of the newspaper front pages in your inbox each weekday, along with the news headlines, do sign up for the Morning Briefing email. You can do that here: | Incidentally, if you’d like a roundup of the newspaper front pages in your inbox each weekday, along with the news headlines, do sign up for the Morning Briefing email. You can do that here: |
| There has been speculation about whether the Brexit secretary, David Davis, could follow Green out of the door, given his previous threat to quit if his colleague were forced out. | There has been speculation about whether the Brexit secretary, David Davis, could follow Green out of the door, given his previous threat to quit if his colleague were forced out. |
| However, the threat was caveated carefully: | However, the threat was caveated carefully: |
| The Brexit secretary let it be known that he would resign in protest were Green to be forced out solely on the basis of allegations by former Met officers, although he accepted that other factors could lead to Green having to quit as first secretary of state. | The Brexit secretary let it be known that he would resign in protest were Green to be forced out solely on the basis of allegations by former Met officers, although he accepted that other factors could lead to Green having to quit as first secretary of state. |
| And Davis appears to have let it be known on Wednesday night that he was going nowhere. | And Davis appears to have let it be known on Wednesday night that he was going nowhere. |
| Kate Maltby, whose allegations of harassment prompted the cabinet office inquiry into Green’s behaviour, has not yet commented on his sacking. | Kate Maltby, whose allegations of harassment prompted the cabinet office inquiry into Green’s behaviour, has not yet commented on his sacking. |
| But her parents, Colin and Victoria Maltby, who were friends with Green, issued a statement on Wednesday night: | But her parents, Colin and Victoria Maltby, who were friends with Green, issued a statement on Wednesday night: |
| We are pleased that the cabinet office has concluded its inquiry into the conduct of Damian Green. | We are pleased that the cabinet office has concluded its inquiry into the conduct of Damian Green. |
| We are not surprised to find that the inquiry found Mr Green to have been untruthful as a minister, nor that they found our daughter to be a plausible witness. | We are not surprised to find that the inquiry found Mr Green to have been untruthful as a minister, nor that they found our daughter to be a plausible witness. |
| We have received many supportive messages from people near and far who appreciate Kate’s courage and the importance of speaking out about the abuse of authority. | We have received many supportive messages from people near and far who appreciate Kate’s courage and the importance of speaking out about the abuse of authority. |
| We join with them in admiring her fortitude and serenity throughout the length of the investigation and despite the attempted campaign in certain sections of the media to denigrate and intimidate her and other witnesses. | We join with them in admiring her fortitude and serenity throughout the length of the investigation and despite the attempted campaign in certain sections of the media to denigrate and intimidate her and other witnesses. |
| We are proud of her. | We are proud of her. |
| We have ourselves known of these incidents since they first occurred and have fully supported Kate in the responsible manner in which she has reported them. | We have ourselves known of these incidents since they first occurred and have fully supported Kate in the responsible manner in which she has reported them. |
| The inquiry said it was “not possible to reach a definitive conclusion” on the allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Green, but said it did find Kate Maltby’s “account to be plausible”. | The inquiry said it was “not possible to reach a definitive conclusion” on the allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Green, but said it did find Kate Maltby’s “account to be plausible”. |
| In his letter to Theresa May, Green said: | In his letter to Theresa May, Green said: |
| I deeply regret the distress caused to Kate Maltby following her article about me and the reaction to it. I do not recognise the events she described in her article, but I clearly made her feel uncomfortable and for this I apologise. | I deeply regret the distress caused to Kate Maltby following her article about me and the reaction to it. I do not recognise the events she described in her article, but I clearly made her feel uncomfortable and for this I apologise. |
| May replied: | May replied: |
| You have expressed your regret for the distress caused to Ms Maltby following her article about you and the reaction to it. I appreciate that you do not recognise the events Ms Maltby described in the article, but you do recognise that you made her feel uncomfortable and it is right that you have apologised. | You have expressed your regret for the distress caused to Ms Maltby following her article about you and the reaction to it. I appreciate that you do not recognise the events Ms Maltby described in the article, but you do recognise that you made her feel uncomfortable and it is right that you have apologised. |
| (By “the reaction to it”, it’s likely both were referring to a much-criticised article about Maltby in the Daily Mail, which among other things accused her of being “one very pushy lady” with a “flair for self-promotion”.) | (By “the reaction to it”, it’s likely both were referring to a much-criticised article about Maltby in the Daily Mail, which among other things accused her of being “one very pushy lady” with a “flair for self-promotion”.) |
| However, it is not clear from this exchange whether Green has in fact apologised personally to Maltby, who has not yet commented publicly on his resignation. | However, it is not clear from this exchange whether Green has in fact apologised personally to Maltby, who has not yet commented publicly on his resignation. |
| All the indications are that we shouldn’t expect a reshuffle today, this week or even this year. | All the indications are that we shouldn’t expect a reshuffle today, this week or even this year. |
| With May on her way to Poland this morning for a two-day trip, and parliament on its Christmas recess, the next first secretary of state/minister for the cabinet office/de facto deputy prime minister might not materialise until 2018. | With May on her way to Poland this morning for a two-day trip, and parliament on its Christmas recess, the next first secretary of state/minister for the cabinet office/de facto deputy prime minister might not materialise until 2018. |
| Which of course allows plenty of time to put together the runners and riders lists: | Which of course allows plenty of time to put together the runners and riders lists: |
| May has lost her oldest & closest political friend. Who will replace him? Allies left in her cabinet are basically her old home office team; Brandon Lewis, James Brokenshire, Karen Bradley. She also relied on Rudd in election campaign | May has lost her oldest & closest political friend. Who will replace him? Allies left in her cabinet are basically her old home office team; Brandon Lewis, James Brokenshire, Karen Bradley. She also relied on Rudd in election campaign |
| The inquiry found that two statements made by Green last month were “inaccurate and misleading” and breached the ministerial code. | The inquiry found that two statements made by Green last month were “inaccurate and misleading” and breached the ministerial code. |
| 4 November | 4 November |
| The police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my parliamentary computer, nor did I have a ‘private’ computer, as has been claimed. The allegations about the material and computer, now nine years old, are false, disreputable political smears from a discredited police officer acting in flagrant breach of his duty to keep the details of police investigations confidential, and amount to little more than an unscrupulous character assassination. | The police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my parliamentary computer, nor did I have a ‘private’ computer, as has been claimed. The allegations about the material and computer, now nine years old, are false, disreputable political smears from a discredited police officer acting in flagrant breach of his duty to keep the details of police investigations confidential, and amount to little more than an unscrupulous character assassination. |
| 11 November | 11 November |
| I reiterate that no allegations about the presence of improper material on my parliamentary computers have ever been put to me or to the parliamentary authorities by the police. I can only assume that they are being made now, nine years later, for ulterior motives. | I reiterate that no allegations about the presence of improper material on my parliamentary computers have ever been put to me or to the parliamentary authorities by the police. I can only assume that they are being made now, nine years later, for ulterior motives. |
| 20 December | 20 December |
| I accept that I should have been clear in my press statements that police lawyers talked to my lawyers in 2008 about the pornography on the computers, and that the police raised it with me in a subsequent phone call in 2013. I apologise that my statements were misleading on this point. | I accept that I should have been clear in my press statements that police lawyers talked to my lawyers in 2008 about the pornography on the computers, and that the police raised it with me in a subsequent phone call in 2013. I apologise that my statements were misleading on this point. |
| The cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, issued a summary of the report into whether Green had breached the ministerial code. Here are the key findings. (The bolding is mine.) | The cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, issued a summary of the report into whether Green had breached the ministerial code. Here are the key findings. (The bolding is mine.) |
| The investigation has concluded: | The investigation has concluded: |
| that Mr Green’s conduct as a minister has generally been both professional and proper; | that Mr Green’s conduct as a minister has generally been both professional and proper; |
| that with competing and contradictory accounts of what were private meetings, it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion on the appropriateness of Mr Green’s behaviour with Kate Maltby in 2015, though the investigation found Ms Maltby’s account to be plausible; | that with competing and contradictory accounts of what were private meetings, it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion on the appropriateness of Mr Green’s behaviour with Kate Maltby in 2015, though the investigation found Ms Maltby’s account to be plausible; |
| that Mr Green’s statements of 4 and 11 November, which suggested that he was not aware that indecent material was found on parliamentary computers in his office, were inaccurate and misleading, as the Metropolitan police service had previously informed him of the existence of this material. These statements therefore fall short of the honesty requirement of the Seven Principles of Public Life and constitute breaches of the ministerial code. Mr Green accepts this. | that Mr Green’s statements of 4 and 11 November, which suggested that he was not aware that indecent material was found on parliamentary computers in his office, were inaccurate and misleading, as the Metropolitan police service had previously informed him of the existence of this material. These statements therefore fall short of the honesty requirement of the Seven Principles of Public Life and constitute breaches of the ministerial code. Mr Green accepts this. |
| It goes on: | It goes on: |
| The cabinet office investigation has not looked into the 2008 police investigation itself. That is a matter for the police, not for the cabinet office; and in any event has no bearing on Mr Green’s ability or conduct as first secretary of state. | The cabinet office investigation has not looked into the 2008 police investigation itself. That is a matter for the police, not for the cabinet office; and in any event has no bearing on Mr Green’s ability or conduct as first secretary of state. |
| Mr Green continues to deny that he viewed the pornography found on his parliamentary computers and the investigation reaches no conclusion on this matter. | Mr Green continues to deny that he viewed the pornography found on his parliamentary computers and the investigation reaches no conclusion on this matter. |
| An early start for today’s politics live blog, hot on the heels of the Wednesday night sacking of first secretary of state and key Theresa May ally Damian Green. | An early start for today’s politics live blog, hot on the heels of the Wednesday night sacking of first secretary of state and key Theresa May ally Damian Green. |
| News that the prime minister had asked her de facto deputy to resign – known in non-political circles as firing him – broke shortly after 8.30pm, just hours after the two had appeared side by side at the final PMQs of the year. (Here’s John Crace’s take on how that May-Corbyn festive showdown shook down.) | News that the prime minister had asked her de facto deputy to resign – known in non-political circles as firing him – broke shortly after 8.30pm, just hours after the two had appeared side by side at the final PMQs of the year. (Here’s John Crace’s take on how that May-Corbyn festive showdown shook down.) |
| He was the third cabinet minister to go in the last two months, after the ousting of Michael Fallon on 1 November for harassment, and of Priti Patel a week later for her unofficial meetings with Israeli officials. | He was the third cabinet minister to go in the last two months, after the ousting of Michael Fallon on 1 November for harassment, and of Priti Patel a week later for her unofficial meetings with Israeli officials. |
| An inquiry was set up into whether Green had breached the ministerial code after Kate Maltby, a Conservative activist, said he had made inappropriate advances towards her; it was later broadened after claims surfaced that pornography was found on a parliamentary computer in Green’s office during a police raid in 2008. | An inquiry was set up into whether Green had breached the ministerial code after Kate Maltby, a Conservative activist, said he had made inappropriate advances towards her; it was later broadened after claims surfaced that pornography was found on a parliamentary computer in Green’s office during a police raid in 2008. |
| As so often, it seems it wasn’t the original allegations against him that secured Green’s fate but the untruths – or, as the inquiry report puts it, his “inaccurate and misleading” statements – about claims pornography was found on his work computer. | As so often, it seems it wasn’t the original allegations against him that secured Green’s fate but the untruths – or, as the inquiry report puts it, his “inaccurate and misleading” statements – about claims pornography was found on his work computer. |
| In his resignation letter, Green also expressed “regret [for] the distress caused to Kate Maltby”, whose account the inquiry found to be “plausible”, though it did not make a ruling on whether his behaviour had been inappropriate. | In his resignation letter, Green also expressed “regret [for] the distress caused to Kate Maltby”, whose account the inquiry found to be “plausible”, though it did not make a ruling on whether his behaviour had been inappropriate. |
| You can read the full exchange of letters between May and Green here. | You can read the full exchange of letters between May and Green here. |
| Andrew Sparrow will be along later to hop into the live blog chair. Comments will also be switched on later, but in the meantime you can contact me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. | Andrew Sparrow will be along later to hop into the live blog chair. Comments will also be switched on later, but in the meantime you can contact me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. |