Guido understands that Patrick Rock was the subject of two complaints from female staff, Downing Street claims there was only one complaint and it was dealt with properly. The first complaint was from a junior female Downing Street staffer and the second from a senior civil servant who is no longer in No. 10. The dismissal of the complaints is said to have led to disquiet amongst female staff who were uncomfortable with Rock.

Downing Street last night denied there was a second complaint, which might be technically true as the senior female civil servant is thought to have complained informally rather than via the formal civil service grievance procedures. Guido understands that the complaints were about inappropriate pestering rather than anything of a groping nature.

Labour are suspicious and have two questions about the matter, firstly “Did Number 10 deliberately wait to announce [Rock arrest] to let the Harriet Harman story run?” and pointedly given his closeness to Rock “Is Ed Llewellyn the right person to look at this?”