>Case was giving evidence to the public administration and constitutional affairs committee for the first time since Partygate and [Christopher Geidt’s resignation](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/15/boris-johnsons-ethics-adviser-lord-geidt-resigns-after-partygate-grilling) and he looked wary from the off. He fiddled with his pen and tapped his feet nervously on the floor. The committee chair, William Wragg – aka the Baby-Faced Assassin, got things under way. What percentage of his time did the cabinet secretary spend on propriety and ethics? Case thought for a while before deciding on up to 30%.
>
>Imagine. Nearly a third of your job is spent making sure that you and those around you are behaving vaguely decently and upholding the law. Most of us don’t really have to think twice about that. We automatically do what’s right. Or near enough. Then we don’t work for the Rwanda Panda. The man who disapplies any rules that get in his way.
>
>Case merely shrugged. It was a shit job, but someone had to do it. So he had volunteered to be the bloke responsible for doing the government’s dirty work. Trying to get refugees on planes to Rwanda. Breaking international law with the [Northern Ireland protocol](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/28/scrapping-ni-protocol-johnson-trade-wars-trumpism-brexit). Making excuses for ministers’ conduct. And trying to stop his own staff behaving as badly as ministers. …
This is the guy who organised the parties at no 10 and only got charged £50.
> The cabinet secretary revealed there was an “ongoing disciplinary process” happening in Downing Street, but said the public may never know if action was taken against any spokespeople.
> After further heated exchanges, Mr Case said he would find out what could be made public from fellow civil servant Alex Chisholm, who is leading on the disciplinary action.
Tim Durrant of the Institute for Government [commented on Case’s appearance](https://twitter.com/timd_IFG/status/1541790383306326016) before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee:
> Case says that misleading the press isn’t automatically a breach of the civil service code… I’m not sure that’s what the code says
> You must: set out the facts and relevant issues truthfully, and correct any errors as soon as possible; and use resources only for the authorised public purposes for which they are provided.
> You must not: deceive or knowingly mislead Ministers, Parliament or others; or be influenced by improper pressures from others or the prospect of personal gain.
Did anyone else chuckle at “come clean”?
Sorry. I’ll get my coat.
Did he reply to the met police questionnaire
I suspect he was ordered to keep quiet and say as little as possible. It’s annoying for the inquiry but that is the point of this move, Johnson will be very happy with the work done here today.
How did a 43 year old rise to the rank of cabinet secretary? His position is probably the most powerful after the PM. Don’t they usually have people in their mid to late 50s in this role?
8 comments
>Case was giving evidence to the public administration and constitutional affairs committee for the first time since Partygate and [Christopher Geidt’s resignation](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/15/boris-johnsons-ethics-adviser-lord-geidt-resigns-after-partygate-grilling) and he looked wary from the off. He fiddled with his pen and tapped his feet nervously on the floor. The committee chair, William Wragg – aka the Baby-Faced Assassin, got things under way. What percentage of his time did the cabinet secretary spend on propriety and ethics? Case thought for a while before deciding on up to 30%.
>
>Imagine. Nearly a third of your job is spent making sure that you and those around you are behaving vaguely decently and upholding the law. Most of us don’t really have to think twice about that. We automatically do what’s right. Or near enough. Then we don’t work for the Rwanda Panda. The man who disapplies any rules that get in his way.
>
>Case merely shrugged. It was a shit job, but someone had to do it. So he had volunteered to be the bloke responsible for doing the government’s dirty work. Trying to get refugees on planes to Rwanda. Breaking international law with the [Northern Ireland protocol](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/28/scrapping-ni-protocol-johnson-trade-wars-trumpism-brexit). Making excuses for ministers’ conduct. And trying to stop his own staff behaving as badly as ministers. …
This is the guy who organised the parties at no 10 and only got charged £50.
Can he be trusted?
More:
Times: [Quentin Letts: Simon Case snarls back at Carrie claim](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/quentin-letts-simon-case-snarls-back-carrie-claim-7lqmlp6br) – ([🪞](https://archive.ph/2BInk))
*Simon Case has developed a flintier edge*
–
The Critic: [Rob Hutton: Fifty shades of muck](https://thecritic.co.uk/fifty-shades-of-muck/)
*The lost art of governing your tongue*
As well as Cabinet Secretary, Case is the Head of the Civil Service.
[Sky, yesterday](https://news.sky.com/story/partygate-report-put-civil-servants-in-difficult-position-says-cabinet-secretary-simon-case-12641961):
> Mr Case was also asked by Labour’s John McDonnell whether No 10 press officers – who the former shadow chancellor described as “lying toads” – would be disciplined for misleading journalists over partygate.
> The cabinet secretary revealed there was an “ongoing disciplinary process” happening in Downing Street, but said the public may never know if action was taken against any spokespeople.
> After further heated exchanges, Mr Case said he would find out what could be made public from fellow civil servant Alex Chisholm, who is leading on the disciplinary action.
Tim Durrant of the Institute for Government [commented on Case’s appearance](https://twitter.com/timd_IFG/status/1541790383306326016) before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee:
> Case says that misleading the press isn’t automatically a breach of the civil service code… I’m not sure that’s what the code says
Durrant refers to the *Honesty* section of [the Civil Service Code](https://www.civilservant.org.uk/ethics-civil_service_code.html):
> You must: set out the facts and relevant issues truthfully, and correct any errors as soon as possible; and use resources only for the authorised public purposes for which they are provided.
> You must not: deceive or knowingly mislead Ministers, Parliament or others; or be influenced by improper pressures from others or the prospect of personal gain.
Did anyone else chuckle at “come clean”?
Sorry. I’ll get my coat.
Did he reply to the met police questionnaire
I suspect he was ordered to keep quiet and say as little as possible. It’s annoying for the inquiry but that is the point of this move, Johnson will be very happy with the work done here today.
How did a 43 year old rise to the rank of cabinet secretary? His position is probably the most powerful after the PM. Don’t they usually have people in their mid to late 50s in this role?