Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Also UK PM’s ethics adviser has resigned

Also UK PM’s ethics adviser has resigned

The UK PM’s ethics adviser has resigned, claiming the government was contemplating a “deliberate breach” of the ministerial code
Christopher Geidt has become the second Downing Street ethics adviser to resign in less than two years due to tensions with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In his resignation letter, published by Downing Street on Thursday, Geidt revealed that he had been asked to offer a view “about the government’s intention to consider measures which risk a deliberate and purposeful breach of the ministerial code.”

“This request has placed me in an impossible and odious position,” Geidt claimed. He added that “the idea that a prime minister might to any degree be in the business of deliberately breaching his own code is an affront.”

“I can have no part in this,” Geidt stressed.

Responding to the claims, Johnson explained that the request at which Geidt was outraged was related to certain tariffs that were needed to protect “a crucial industry.”

According to media reports, the prime minister was talking about steelmaking, as Britain has recently proposed to extend anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese steel for five more years to protect its domestic industry.

Johnson has admitted that the measures considered by the government would be in line with UK domestic law but “might be seen to conflict” with London’s obligations under the World Trade Organization.

“In seeking your advice before any decision was taken, I was looking to ensure that we acted properly with due regard to the ministerial code,” he emphasized.

The latest government request appears to have been the last straw for Geidt rather than a single source of tension with the prime minister. The ethics adviser also expressed his “frustration” over the fact that Johnson had not made “any public reference” to his role in so-called ‘Partygate’ – when government officials held gatherings in violation of their own Covid-19 restrictions. Though Johnson later responded to his concerns, Geidt remained “disappointed” that the prime minister’s explanations were not “fuller.”

Geidt, who previously served as Queen Elizabeth’s private secretary, was in the spotlight in May last year when he published the results of his investigation into the refurbishment of the prime minister’s official residence. Johnson came under heavy criticism after reports that the initial costs of refurbishing his official flat in Downing Street had been covered by a Conservative Party donor.

Geidt said that Johnson had acted “unwisely” but, nevertheless, cleared the prime minister of violating the ministerial code.

The departure of one of his closest advisers came as another blow for the prime minister, who earlier this month survived a motion of no confidence. His position was already in jeopardy following the Partygate scandal.

On Wednesday, the EU announced fresh legal action against the UK in response to the government’s intention to unilaterally revoke parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Another government plan – to send some illegal immigrants to Rwanda – has also been severely criticized by the opposition and various human rights groups. The first flight carrying migrants to the African country was grounded on Tuesday because of last-minute legal challenges.

Geidt’s predecessor as ethics adviser, Alex Allan, resigned in November 2020. The announcement came after the prime minister backed Home Secretary Priti Patel despite Allan’s conclusion that the way she was treating her staff “amounted to behavior that can be described as bullying.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×