Ministerial code ‘not worth the paper it’s written on’
The Conservatives warned last night the ministerial code was “in tatters” after the prime minister insisted there was no need for an investigation into John Prescott’s behaviour.
Tony Blair told BBC One’s The Politics Show yesterday that suggestions his deputy had broken the code in his meetings with American billionaire Philip Anschutz were not backed up by any evidence.
“Has anybody got any actual evidence that John has interfered in this process in an improper way? I haven’t seen any,” he said.
“I mean I have seen hoards of newspaper allegations about something to do with cowboy boots and some belt or something.”
Reports suggest Mr Prescott was given a pair of cowboy boots, a hat and belt with a silver buckle with his initials on during his visit to Mr Anschutz’s Colorado ranch last July. He finally declared it on the MPs’ register of interests earlier this month.
The parliamentary watchdog is already questioning why these gifts and the visit were not originally declared, but there are also questions about a possible conflict of interest in the fact that the two men were meeting at all.
Mr Anschutz’s company owns the dome and is hoping to turn it into Britain’s first supercasino. Leaked emails suggested officials in Mr Prescott’s department were aware of lobbying by the firm, although he himself denies having any part in casino policy.
Mr Blair is the only person who can recommend an investigation into possible breaches of the ministerial code, but yesterday he stressed that he would not take such action without proper evidence.
However, shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire warned that simply claiming there was no evidence of wrongdoing was “not good enough”, and urged the prime minister to order an investigation into Mr Prescott’s behaviour.
“In continuing to refuse an enquiry into John Prescott’s conduct in accepting both gifts and hospitality from the man bidding to open Britain’s only supercasino, Tony Blair has again demonstrated that his ministerial code is not worth the paper it is written on,” he said.
“The code quite clearly states that ‘no minister or public servant should accept gifts, hospitality or services from anyone which would, or might appear to, place him or her under an obligation’.
“Now that it appears John Prescott has failed to act by House of Commons rules over his dealings with Mr Anschutz, it is not good enough for the prime minister to simply hide behind the excuse that he is unaware of any evidence of wrongdoing.”
