Prime minister’s ethics adviser Lord Geidt resigns

41 comments
  1. Biggest surprise in this story is learning that he even had such a thing as an ethics advisor. Foreign trips, wallpaper, parties … did he stay silent and collect his salary, or speak up and just get ignored because his advice didn’t suit the narrative?

  2. From the Mirror Yesterday

    Boris Johnson’s ethics advisor has admitted he is an “asset of the PM” rather than enjoying full independence.

    Speaking before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC), Lord Geidt was questioned on whether there was any point to his role as “Independent Advisor on the Ministerial Code”, given the Prime Minister still retains the power to block investigations.

    Lord Geidt’s role is directly appointed by the Prime Minister, who retains the sole power to judge whether the rules have been broken and impose sanctions.

    He described himself as an “an asset of the prime minister… rather than a free orbiting adviser.”

    PMs ethics advisor who had to ask the people breaking the Ministerial Code if he could investigate them breaking the Ministerial code…

  3. About time.

    If you missed Crace’s excellent piece yesterday:

    >There was total silence in committee room 15 for several minutes as everyone waited for the clock to tick round to 10am. Lord Geidt was totally at ease. In his element. Happy to say nothing for as long as was required. Longer even. You don’t get to have a long career in military intelligence and working for the Queen by saying any more than is strictly necessarily. And now his career highlight as the independent adviser on ministers’ interests. The ultimate establishment stooge. The man who passes for Boris Johnson’s moral guardian. Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.
    >
    >Eventually…
    >
    >([*Lord Geidt, the ultimate stooge, struggles to maintain the illusion of authority*](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/14/lord-geidt-ultimate-establishment-stooge-struggles-maintain-illusion-of-authority))

  4. Being Boris Johnson’s ethics advisor sounds a lot like being the chief beautification officer for a landfill.

  5. >A senior source in Number 10 said Lord Geidt’s resignation came as “a total surprise” and is “a mystery” to Mr Johnson.

  6. Ethics advisor should not be appointed by the prime minister. That seems like a dumb ideal.

    For the prime minister to pick the person who will check that they aren’t unethical. I mean, they could be appointed and even picked by him… But should be reassessed by others.

  7. Amazed he quit to be honest, must be the easiest job in the world.

    “Hi Boris, Lord Geidt here, just need to check if you broke the ministerial code? … No, you found yourself to be in the clear? Excellent, salary to the usual place please.”

    Might stick a CV in for the laughs.

  8. *Drip…drip…drip…*

    *Whats that? The sound of bad news…*

    Next week is Wakefield and Tiverton by-elections.

    Despite what that fat blond lying cxnt wants hardly anyone wants to draw a line under Partygate and move on

    Only place he is going is out on his ear

  9. Well the drubbing he took in the cross party committee made him look like a complete idiot so I’m not surprised he quit. He’d be a laughing stock if he stayed in office.

  10. What we really need is for the cabinet to retrieve their sense of shame and resign en masse. When Johnson falls they will always be tarred with continuing to support him when supporting him was indefensible.

  11. Possibly the most pointless job in government right now. Johnson does what he wants, ethics and morals be damned, it a position that might as well be filled by a cardboard cutout.

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