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Liam Fox's friend Adam Werritty to be questioned | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Senior civil servants investigating the conduct of Defence Secretary Liam Fox are expected to interview his close friend Adam Werritty. | Senior civil servants investigating the conduct of Defence Secretary Liam Fox are expected to interview his close friend Adam Werritty. |
They will ask him why he joined the cabinet minister on a third of all overseas trips since he came to office. | They will ask him why he joined the cabinet minister on a third of all overseas trips since he came to office. |
No 10 has said serious mistakes were made and asked an internal inquiry to address "all remaining questions". | No 10 has said serious mistakes were made and asked an internal inquiry to address "all remaining questions". |
Labour MP John Mann has said Mr Fox should be sacked, but the minister insisted he had done nothing wrong. | Labour MP John Mann has said Mr Fox should be sacked, but the minister insisted he had done nothing wrong. |
Mr Werritty was present on 18 out of 48 overseas trips, according to records released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). | Mr Werritty was present on 18 out of 48 overseas trips, according to records released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). |
They included visits to Singapore, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Sri Lanka. | They included visits to Singapore, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Sri Lanka. |
'Clearer rules' | 'Clearer rules' |
Mr Werritty also visited Tampa in Florida, where he dined with General John Allen, who has since become the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan. | Mr Werritty also visited Tampa in Florida, where he dined with General John Allen, who has since become the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan. |
He also travelled to Washington DC before flying back with Mr Fox. | He also travelled to Washington DC before flying back with Mr Fox. |
Mr Werritty, 34, was Mr Fox's best man in 2005 and a former flatmate and also used to carry cards describing himself as an adviser to "the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP". | Mr Werritty, 34, was Mr Fox's best man in 2005 and a former flatmate and also used to carry cards describing himself as an adviser to "the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP". |
But he had no formal or paid role at the MoD or the Conservative Party and little is known about how the visits were funded. | But he had no formal or paid role at the MoD or the Conservative Party and little is known about how the visits were funded. |
The Times has claimed Mr Werritty declared around £20,000 in income from his private companies over the past four years. | The Times has claimed Mr Werritty declared around £20,000 in income from his private companies over the past four years. |
In Parliament, Mr Fox said Mr Werritty's income was "not dependent on any transactional behaviour to maintain his income". | In Parliament, Mr Fox said Mr Werritty's income was "not dependent on any transactional behaviour to maintain his income". |
He also apologised to MPs for the controversy but insisted that he had never put national security at risk. | He also apologised to MPs for the controversy but insisted that he had never put national security at risk. |
Meanwhile, Labour has been stepping up the pressure on Mr Fox over the whole affair. | Meanwhile, Labour has been stepping up the pressure on Mr Fox over the whole affair. |
MP John Mann said: "The cover-up comes across as being even worse than whatever's been done in the first place. | MP John Mann said: "The cover-up comes across as being even worse than whatever's been done in the first place. |
"And with all this hanging over him, and this strange relationship with Adam Werritty... it does seem to me that David Cameron's got no choice: he's going to have to get rid of Liam Fox from his cabinet." | "And with all this hanging over him, and this strange relationship with Adam Werritty... it does seem to me that David Cameron's got no choice: he's going to have to get rid of Liam Fox from his cabinet." |
But Conservative MP Nick Boles said he did not believe Mr Fox was irreparably damaged. | But Conservative MP Nick Boles said he did not believe Mr Fox was irreparably damaged. |
"I'm sure that Liam has learned from this. I'm sure that everybody in frontline politics has learned from this," he said. | "I'm sure that Liam has learned from this. I'm sure that everybody in frontline politics has learned from this," he said. |
"We need to have clearer rules and abide by them. But, nothing yet has been suggested that somehow the public interest was harmed." | "We need to have clearer rules and abide by them. But, nothing yet has been suggested that somehow the public interest was harmed." |
Mr Cameron has discussed the findings of an interim report on the inquiry with Mr Fox, a Downing Street spokesman said. | Mr Cameron has discussed the findings of an interim report on the inquiry with Mr Fox, a Downing Street spokesman said. |
The prime minister is not expected to make a final decision on Mr Fox's future until he sees the full report, which is due on 21 October. | The prime minister is not expected to make a final decision on Mr Fox's future until he sees the full report, which is due on 21 October. |