VOTERS don’t “give a fig” about the shock resignation of Boris Johnson’s independent ethics adviser, Nadine Dorries has claimed as she mocked Lord Geidt.
During a LBC radio phone-in, the Culture Secretary branded the peer “Lord Geddit”, saying people had been baffled by his resignation and that he had constantly complained about the amount of work he had to do.
Geidt stood down last week saying the Prime Minister had put him in an “impossible and odious position” when he asked for his advice on maintaining tariffs on Chinese steel in a deliberate breach of the UK’s obligations in international law.
He had previously made clear his “frustration” at Johnson’s response to being fined by police for a breach of Covid rules when he attended a gathering in No 10 to mark his 56th birthday.
READ MORE: Tories' 'openness to breaking laws' made me quit, Boris Johnson's ex-ethics adviser says
Asked who should replace him, Dorries said: “You call him Lord Geidt. I think the rest of the country had never even heard of him before and called him Lord Geddit.
“I don’t think they give a fig who replaces him or who he was or what he did. It’s a bit of a bizarre one isn’t it? Someone who wasn’t elected who has resigned.
“Everybody thought for 24 hours that he was going to resign over something that was going to compromise the Prime Minister, was suddenly blindsided by the fact that it was something to do with steel tariffs.”
The Prime Minister has so far failed to commit to appointing a successor.
Downing Street has accepted Lord Geidt fulfilled a “vitally important” function advising on the ministerial code of conduct but said Johnson was reviewing the position and could abolish it.
Dorries said that if a successor was appointed, she did not think it should be just one individual.
“Lord Geddit, Lord Geidt, sorry, he complained so often about the amount of work that he had to do that I don’t think that one person can probably do the job.”
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