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Liam Fox to address MPs after critical report Liam Fox attacks 'vindictiveness, even hatred' of media
(40 minutes later)
Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox is expected to make a statement to MPs later after a report found he had broken ministerial rules over his links with his friend Adam Werritty. Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox has attacked a "personal vindictiveness, even hatred" in his treatment by the media.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell's report said there had been a "failure of judgement", for which Mr Fox took ultimate responsibility. He told the Commons he should have been "more willing" to listen to "concerns" raised about his links with his friend Adam Werritty.
The issue is also expected to be raised at prime minister's questions. And he apologised to MPs for the ministerial code being breached.
But Mr Fox, who resigned on Friday, said the "media frenzy... should worry all of us".
Labour say "big questions" remain unanswered about the controversy.Labour say "big questions" remain unanswered about the controversy.
Sir George Young, Leader of the House, made a statement on behalf of the government after a statement on proposed justice reforms from Ken Clarke. A report by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, published on Tuesday, said Mr Fox had been warned about his working relationship with Mr Werritty by both his private office and permanent secretary but decided it was acceptable and should continue.
Labour want the government to publish details of all the meetings Mr Werritty had with ministers outside of the Ministry of Defence and are pressing the prime minister to say what he knew about Mr Werritty's business activities. Speaking earlier on behalf of the government, Sir George Young, Leader of the House, told the Commons the permanent secretary should have taken her concerns further.
He said permanent secretaries would be given fresh advice on how to manage any similar situation in the future, and added that more generally, the rules surrounding access to ministers by lobbyists and other acquaintances would be tightened up.
Sir George also said it was clear that "the frequency, range and extent" of the meetings between Mr Fox and Mr Werritty "were not regulated as well as they should have been".
The language of Whitehall is often opaque, but, on this occasion, Sir Gus O'Donnell's words are anything but. Liam Fox, he says, breached the ministerial code, he put his staff at risk, he did not live up to the standards required of him.The language of Whitehall is often opaque, but, on this occasion, Sir Gus O'Donnell's words are anything but. Liam Fox, he says, breached the ministerial code, he put his staff at risk, he did not live up to the standards required of him.
The cabinet secretary's report does not answer all the questions, not by a long chalk. But its judgement is clear and it is one that the former defence secretary could not have survived.The cabinet secretary's report does not answer all the questions, not by a long chalk. But its judgement is clear and it is one that the former defence secretary could not have survived.
Most Conservative MPs I spoke to said the language was strong enough to rule out any early return to office for Mr Fox. Much, they said, depended in the short term on the tone of his resignation statement to the Commons, and in the long term on the role he carves out for himself on the backbenches.Most Conservative MPs I spoke to said the language was strong enough to rule out any early return to office for Mr Fox. Much, they said, depended in the short term on the tone of his resignation statement to the Commons, and in the long term on the role he carves out for himself on the backbenches.
But he and the government cannot move on quite yet. Labour is still pressing for a wider investigation. There is still the possibility of police and parliamentary inquiries. And the elusive Mr Werritty has hired himself some libel lawyers. This isn't over yet.But he and the government cannot move on quite yet. Labour is still pressing for a wider investigation. There is still the possibility of police and parliamentary inquiries. And the elusive Mr Werritty has hired himself some libel lawyers. This isn't over yet.
Shadow leader of the House Angela Eagle criticised Prime Minister David Cameron for failing to give the statement on Mr Fox himself.
She said Sir Gus's report was inadequate and left many unanswered questions, including whether Mr Werritty benefited financially from his access to the defence secretary, and whether Mr Fox authorised the payment of his friend's travel expenses by a number of wealthy backers.
She added: "Why was the defence secretary allowed to treat the ministerial code as if it were an optional extra?"
Labour want the government to publish details of all the meetings Mr Werritty had with ministers outside of the Ministry of Defence and are pressing the prime minister to say what he knew about Mr Werritty's business activities.
Mr Fox resigned from the government on Friday, saying he had allowed his personal loyalties and professional responsibilities to become "blurred" over his dealings with Mr Werritty, his former flatmate and self-styled adviser.Mr Fox resigned from the government on Friday, saying he had allowed his personal loyalties and professional responsibilities to become "blurred" over his dealings with Mr Werritty, his former flatmate and self-styled adviser.
Sir Gus's report, published on Tuesday, said Mr Fox had been warned about his working relationship with Mr Werritty by both his private office and permanent secretary but decided it was acceptable and should continue.
The report said there had been a "clear breach" of the ministerial code on conflicts of interest but the former defence secretary did not benefit financially nor was national security compromised.The report said there had been a "clear breach" of the ministerial code on conflicts of interest but the former defence secretary did not benefit financially nor was national security compromised.
Despite having no role in the government nor the Conservative Party, Mr Werritty met up with Mr Fox on 18 overseas trips, attended a number of important meetings with him, and had carried cards describing himself as his adviser.Despite having no role in the government nor the Conservative Party, Mr Werritty met up with Mr Fox on 18 overseas trips, attended a number of important meetings with him, and had carried cards describing himself as his adviser.
The report found Mr Werritty had had "inappropriate" access to Mr Fox's diary - posing a "degree of security risk" to Mr Fox and any officials accompanying him.The report found Mr Werritty had had "inappropriate" access to Mr Fox's diary - posing a "degree of security risk" to Mr Fox and any officials accompanying him.
It also concluded that the former cabinet minister should have declared to officials that donors who had provided funding to him when the Conservatives had been in opposition also gave money to Mr Werritty's firm Pargav.It also concluded that the former cabinet minister should have declared to officials that donors who had provided funding to him when the Conservatives had been in opposition also gave money to Mr Werritty's firm Pargav.
Sir George Young said it was "quite clear what went wrong".
"Warnings were given to Mr Fox by his department and he chose to ignore them and nothing happened," he told Channel 4 News.
"One of the key recommendations by the cabinet secretary was that should that ever occur again, it should be escalated, firstly to the cabinet secretary and ultimately to the prime minister."
Asked whether the report's findings ruled out a return to office for Mr Fox, Sir George said such considerations were "way beyond my pay grade" but he hoped the Conservatives could "harness his (Mr Fox's) talents and energies in some way".