Yesterday’s poorly worded/suspicious Cabinet Office statement on Prince Charles’ spy in the heart of government had the distinct whiff of a cover-up. Just who is the mystery man, or lady, seconded from the Royal Household? Why is he, or she, there? What exactly is he, or she, doing? Guido has learned that the representative from the Household of the Prince of Wales’ remit centres around a “specialist policy role”. He has reason to believe it is a lady as well.

Despite the obvious implication that someone with close links to the Royal Family is working on government policy, a Cabinet Office spokesman insists that is not the case and they have no role in legislation. The official kick back still refuses to reveal the staffer’s identity, this time on the rather tenuous grounds that it would not be fair since he/she is in a “relatively junior”. Senior sources in the department are now emphasising to Guido that the unnamed person’s role is unrelated to their work with the Prince of Wales and that high-security clearance is not “required”.

So why not just be completely transparent about the arrangement?

Maybe Dave could phone up that shady royal benefactor who got him his job, so we could get to the bottom of this once and for all…