Sunday, June 04, 2023
It's war
Boris Johnson has put himself in direct conflict with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office over the provision of materials nto the Covid Inquiry and nwo Rishi Sunak has retaliated.
The Guardian reports that the former Prime Minster has been warned that he could lose public funding for legal advice if he tries to “frustrate or undermine” the government’s position on the Covid-19 inquiry.
The paper says that Cabinet Office lawyers have told the former prime minister that money would “cease to be available” if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission:
Johnson has been at the centre of a row as ministers launched a high court bid to challenge the inquiry’s demand for his unredacted WhatsApp messages and contemporaneous notebooks.
He said he would send all his messages to the official investigation directly, circumventing the Cabinet Office.
Last week, the Times reported that Johnson sent 300 pages of unredacted WhatsApp correspondence to the inquiry after the government began a judicial review designed to block the disclosure of his messages without prior vetting by officials and to ensure Whitehall has the final say on what is handed over.
The Sunday Times detailed a letter sent by Cabinet Office lawyers to Johnson last week.
“The funding offer will cease to be available to you if you knowingly seek to frustrate or undermine, either through your own actions or the actions of others, the government’s position in relation to the inquiry unless there is a clear and irreconcilable conflict of interest on a particular point at issue,” it said.
The letter added that funding would “only remain available” if he complied with conditions such as sending the Cabinet Office “any witness statement or exhibit which you intend to provide to the inquiry so that it can be security-checked by appropriate officials”.
The Cabinet Office said the letter was “intended to protect public funds” so that taxpayer-funded lawyers are not used for any purpose other than aiding the inquiry.
At least one Tory donor has picked up the baton on Johnson's behalf. The paper say that Lord Cruddas, an outspoken backer of Johnson, who handed him a peerage, has urged the MP not to be “held to ransom” by the perceived threat. “Don’t worry, Boris Johnson, I can easily get your legal fees funded by supporters and crowdfunding, it’s easy,” he tweeted.
It is an interesting situation when a former Prime Minister goes to war against one of his successors in such a public way. Does anybody have any credibility left in this mess?
The Guardian reports that the former Prime Minster has been warned that he could lose public funding for legal advice if he tries to “frustrate or undermine” the government’s position on the Covid-19 inquiry.
The paper says that Cabinet Office lawyers have told the former prime minister that money would “cease to be available” if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission:
Johnson has been at the centre of a row as ministers launched a high court bid to challenge the inquiry’s demand for his unredacted WhatsApp messages and contemporaneous notebooks.
He said he would send all his messages to the official investigation directly, circumventing the Cabinet Office.
Last week, the Times reported that Johnson sent 300 pages of unredacted WhatsApp correspondence to the inquiry after the government began a judicial review designed to block the disclosure of his messages without prior vetting by officials and to ensure Whitehall has the final say on what is handed over.
The Sunday Times detailed a letter sent by Cabinet Office lawyers to Johnson last week.
“The funding offer will cease to be available to you if you knowingly seek to frustrate or undermine, either through your own actions or the actions of others, the government’s position in relation to the inquiry unless there is a clear and irreconcilable conflict of interest on a particular point at issue,” it said.
The letter added that funding would “only remain available” if he complied with conditions such as sending the Cabinet Office “any witness statement or exhibit which you intend to provide to the inquiry so that it can be security-checked by appropriate officials”.
The Cabinet Office said the letter was “intended to protect public funds” so that taxpayer-funded lawyers are not used for any purpose other than aiding the inquiry.
At least one Tory donor has picked up the baton on Johnson's behalf. The paper say that Lord Cruddas, an outspoken backer of Johnson, who handed him a peerage, has urged the MP not to be “held to ransom” by the perceived threat. “Don’t worry, Boris Johnson, I can easily get your legal fees funded by supporters and crowdfunding, it’s easy,” he tweeted.
It is an interesting situation when a former Prime Minister goes to war against one of his successors in such a public way. Does anybody have any credibility left in this mess?
