UK BUSINESS Minister Paul Scully has said he feels the Prime Minister upholds the highest standards required of his office.
This comes despite the resignation of ethics adviser Lord Geidt.
Scully also added that he would feel comfortable without an ethics adviser so long as there is a suitable “mechanism” in place to maintain standards.
When asked whether he could say that Boris Johnson upheld high standards, Scully told Sky News: “Yes, I can.
“I think Lord Geidt seems to have resigned on the discussion around when the Prime Minister asked him for advice for supporting industries in the next few months.”
He added: “In terms of the Prime Minister’s behaviour, he rightly wants to draw a line under the so called partygate because people are worried more about the cost of living, what it’s going to mean for their mortgages and their bills in the days and months ahead.”
When asked whether he would be comfortable if no-one is hired to replace Lord Geidt as adviser on ministerial standards, Scully said: “I think I would be comfortable with that as long as there is a mechanism that (ensures) the Prime Minister and that me as minister are held to the highest standards.
READ MORE: Lord Geidt: Who is Boris Johnson's former ministerial interests adviser and why did he resign?
“There is a ministerial code there and we want to make sure that it’s adhered to, because it (enshrines) the principles that we all stand on, not just as MPs when we first come into the House, but when we accept office as ministers.”
Meanwhile, the Government’s former anti-corruption champion John Penrose urged ministers not to “leave really quite damaging questions dangling” by not replacing Lord Geidt.
READ MORE: Lord Geidt: Who is Boris Johnson's former ministerial interests adviser and why did he resign?
When asked about Geidt’s work, such as the investigation into the Downing Street flat, the Conservative MP for Weston-Super-Mare told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think one of the reasons why it’s important to have some continuity, why it’s important to have if not a precise replacement then an effective succession here is to make sure that you don’t leave really quite damaging questions dangling and that anything that’s outstanding doesn’t just get forgotten and lost.”
He said of the report into the flat: “I don’t know how complete it is, I don’t know whether or not there’s anything that still remains to be done on it or whether or not it’s just sitting on a shelf and waiting to be published.
“But I think the important thing with all of these issues is they don’t go away if you just ignore them. Ethics and integrity doesn’t work like that, and therefore they will have to put this stuff to bed or the only way to draw a line under these things, frankly, is to get it out in the open and then people can understand and move on.”
READ MORE: Tory member on Question Time gives scathing verdict on Boris Johnson's Rwanda plan
“This is so typical of this Government when faced with any questions about this Prime Minister's short comings or impropriety.
"Simply put their fingers in their ears or abolish and disband the people who are inconvenient or may hold them to account.
“The whole idea of an ethics advisor to this particular Prime Minister is almost an absurd proposition anyway when he has the morals of Caligula bereft of a moral compass.
"The only person who should be disbanded is this Prime Minister himself."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel