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MPs' report could reignite Tory row over Theresa May's special advisers MPs' report could reignite Tory row over Theresa May's special advisers
(35 minutes later)
The Conservative party was wrong to ask ministerial special advisers to campaign in a recent byelection, according to a report by a cross-party committee that could reignite a row between David Cameron’s allies and Theresa May. The public administration select committee has found that the party’s headquarters should not have asked two political appointees to campaign in last year’s Rochester byelection. May’s advisers Nick Timothy and Stephen Parkinson were dropped from the list of potential parliamentary candidates in a major internal Tory row in December. Timothy argued that demands from Grant Shapps for so-called Spads to take part in telephone canvassing were against their code of conduct.The Conservative party was wrong to ask ministerial special advisers to campaign in a recent byelection, according to a report by a cross-party committee that could reignite a row between David Cameron’s allies and Theresa May. The public administration select committee has found that the party’s headquarters should not have asked two political appointees to campaign in last year’s Rochester byelection. May’s advisers Nick Timothy and Stephen Parkinson were dropped from the list of potential parliamentary candidates in a major internal Tory row in December. Timothy argued that demands from Grant Shapps for so-called Spads to take part in telephone canvassing were against their code of conduct.
At the time of the row, their removal from the list was widely seen as a way for Cameron to curb the political ambitions of May, the resurgent home secretary.At the time of the row, their removal from the list was widely seen as a way for Cameron to curb the political ambitions of May, the resurgent home secretary.
The prime minister had demanded that MPs and party activists should visit Rochester and Strood to help defeat Mark Reckless, the former Tory MP who had resigned his seat to join Ukip. The efforts to stop Ukip’s recruit failed and Reckless was re-elected as Ukip’s second MP. Sources close to May said she was furious with their suspension.The prime minister had demanded that MPs and party activists should visit Rochester and Strood to help defeat Mark Reckless, the former Tory MP who had resigned his seat to join Ukip. The efforts to stop Ukip’s recruit failed and Reckless was re-elected as Ukip’s second MP. Sources close to May said she was furious with their suspension.
The report, published on Monday, said: “We ... conclude that any direction to a special adviser to conduct telephone canvassing was misguided, and that advice that such a direction or such canvassing was permitted under their code and contract of employment was wrong in law … We recommend that special advisers should never again be confronted with directions or informal pressure that puts them in breach of the code and of their contracts of employment.”The report, published on Monday, said: “We ... conclude that any direction to a special adviser to conduct telephone canvassing was misguided, and that advice that such a direction or such canvassing was permitted under their code and contract of employment was wrong in law … We recommend that special advisers should never again be confronted with directions or informal pressure that puts them in breach of the code and of their contracts of employment.”
Timothy was hoping to be selected as a prospective MP in Aldridge-Brownhills, the Black Country seat. He was suspended from standing on 10 December and central party officials wrote to their counterparts in Aldridge saying he had voluntarily stood down.Timothy was hoping to be selected as a prospective MP in Aldridge-Brownhills, the Black Country seat. He was suspended from standing on 10 December and central party officials wrote to their counterparts in Aldridge saying he had voluntarily stood down.
According to a letter sent by Timothy to party officials in Aldridge: “This, I was told, is because I did not participate in telephone canvassing during the Rochester byelection campaign. This decision cannot be valid because, as Theresa May’s chief of staff, I am bound by the code of conduct for special advisers.”According to a letter sent by Timothy to party officials in Aldridge: “This, I was told, is because I did not participate in telephone canvassing during the Rochester byelection campaign. This decision cannot be valid because, as Theresa May’s chief of staff, I am bound by the code of conduct for special advisers.”
The code says: “if [special advisers] wish to take part in a … by-election campaign, or to help in a party headquarters or research unit during such a campaign, they must first resign their appointment.” According to Monday morning’s report, special advisers who requested instructions or guidance in writing, directing or permitting them to comply with the party’s request were declined any such written instruction or guidance from their employer. The code says: “If [special advisers] wish to take part in a … byelection campaign, or to help in a party headquarters or research unit during such a campaign, they must first resign their appointment.” According to Monday morning’s report, special advisers who requested instructions or guidance in writing, directing or permitting them to comply with the party’s request, were declined any such written instruction or guidance from their employer.
“They were told they should rely on a letter from the Conservative party, which is not their employer. We took advice from Speaker’s counsel, Michael Carpenter, on the question of whether the code and the model contract of employment for special advisers permitted special advisers to conduct telephone canvassing in a parliamentary byelection,” the report said.“They were told they should rely on a letter from the Conservative party, which is not their employer. We took advice from Speaker’s counsel, Michael Carpenter, on the question of whether the code and the model contract of employment for special advisers permitted special advisers to conduct telephone canvassing in a parliamentary byelection,” the report said.
The committee recommended that special advisers should “never again” be confronted with directions or informal pressure that puts them in breach of the code and of their contracts of employment.
“To forestall a reoccurrence of this situation, interpretations of the code should be issued in writing and subject to the law officers’ advice. It added: “To forestall a reoccurrence of this situation, interpretations of the code should be issued in writing and subject to the law officers’ advice.
“We also recommend that either: the special advisers’ code and employment contracts should be amended to reflect what ministers and the cabinet secretary would prefer them to mean in respect of telephone canvassing, or it should be made clear that special advisers must comply with their code and contracts of employment as they are written,” the report said.“We also recommend that either: the special advisers’ code and employment contracts should be amended to reflect what ministers and the cabinet secretary would prefer them to mean in respect of telephone canvassing, or it should be made clear that special advisers must comply with their code and contracts of employment as they are written,” the report said.
Special advisers are paid by central government and are styled as so-called “temporary civil servants” appointed under article 3 of the civil service order in council 1995.Special advisers are paid by central government and are styled as so-called “temporary civil servants” appointed under article 3 of the civil service order in council 1995.
They contrast with “permanent” civil servants in the respect that they are political appointees whose loyalties are claimed by the governing party and often particular ministers with whom they have a close relationship. Nearly all advisers resign when a general election is called to campaign on behalf of their party.They contrast with “permanent” civil servants in the respect that they are political appointees whose loyalties are claimed by the governing party and often particular ministers with whom they have a close relationship. Nearly all advisers resign when a general election is called to campaign on behalf of their party.
Jon Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, said the Tories should come clean on who ordered the advice.Jon Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, said the Tories should come clean on who ordered the advice.
“The parliamentary authorities have delivered a damning assessment of the Number 10 operation, and we now need to know which ministers were complicit in issuing this ‘misguided’ advice.“The parliamentary authorities have delivered a damning assessment of the Number 10 operation, and we now need to know which ministers were complicit in issuing this ‘misguided’ advice.
“Given the proximity of the election campaign, we need a formal government response today which outlines how Number 10 will ensure no rules will be broken over the role played by special advisers,” he said.“Given the proximity of the election campaign, we need a formal government response today which outlines how Number 10 will ensure no rules will be broken over the role played by special advisers,” he said.