Non jobs for the old boys

[Gromit]

// Sir Alex Allan, a former spy chief, is paid £20,000 a year as the independent adviser on the ministerial code, but he has never been called on to undertake an inquiry.
Senior Conservative and Lib Dem MPs have demanded a Whitehall investigation into why Mr Hunt, the Culture Secretary, allowed a key adviser to give confidential information to News Corporation during its bid for BSkyB.
However, the Prime Minister has said he has “no plans” to refer the case to his independent adviser to decide whether Mr Hunt’s behaviour fell short of standards required of ministers.
Critics yesterday asked “what the point is” of Sir Alex, as the Cabinet Office refused to give details of how many hours he works or exactly what he has been doing since taking on the role in November. //

There is certainly sleaze there to investigate but he is not being consulted. Pointless waste of tax payers money then?

[pdq1]

Must seem like petty cash when compared to the £1m wasted on the Audit commision quango.

[pdq1]

More like £50m/year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10970008

[Quizmonster]

Cameron imagined he could kick the Hunt affair into the long grass by suggesting that the Leveson inquiry would consider it in due course. However, the noble lord has categorically stated that matters concerning the Ministerial Code have buqqer-all to do with HIM or his inquiry and that he has no intention of giving special consideration to Hunt by bringing his evidence forward in time. And very well done to him for saying so, in my opinion.
I wonder how much longer Cameron can brazen this one out, given that the majority of the public, as shown by polls - never mind the parliamentarians - think Hunt does have a case to answer. Time for Sir Alex Allan to step up to the oche!

[LazyGun]

It beggars belief that Cameron will not refer Hunt to his independent advisor on Ministerial Standards. This is the same Cameron that, pre - election spoke about the threat that lobbying represented " the next big scandal" he called it, and vowed to make the whole system more open and transparent.

Precious little evidence of that, and perhaps it was too much to expect from a former PR man. This refusal to refer Hunt to the special advisor only adds to the public perception of cover up, of undue influence, and inappropriately close relationships between commerce and politics.

[jno]

I'd expect Cameron, as a former PR man, to realise quite soon what disastrous PR this is for everyone involved. His problem, I imagine, will be trying to find a way to wriggle out of it, the ploy of leaving it to Leveson having failed.