Baroness Scotland’s chief fixer has threatened to have staff members blowing the whistle on her extravagant spending prosecuted. Guido has obtained an email sent by Scotland’s deputy and close ally Gary Dunn to all staff in the Commonwealth Secretariat. Dunn warns that following “recent leaks of confidential information to the media… the Secretariat may initiate disciplinary proceedings for ‘gross misconduct’ due to breaches of confidentiality and this may result in dismissal and/or referral for prosecution“. Read the chilling threat in full below…

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“It is with regret that I have to inform you that the Secretariat has had to instigate an internal review owing to recent leaks of confidential information to the media.

Staff are reminded of the duty to exercise the utmost discretion in regard to all matters of official business, and the duty not to communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their official position which has not been made public except in the course of their duties (Staff Regulation 6). All Staff are bound by a duty of confidentiality including a duty not to use information located in the course of their employment for their personal gain or advantage and/or for the advantage of a third party (Staff Rule 7.3.6)…

The Secretariat may initiate disciplinary proceedings for ‘gross misconduct’ due to breaches of confidentiality and this may result in dismissal and/or referral for prosecution.

Staff are also reminded that while the Secretariat recognises and respects the rights of staff to privacy within the workplace, it is able to check and monitor official electronic communications and equipment where there are grounds to suspect serious misuse, or where routine monitoring has alerted the Head of IT of possible serious misuse.

If you have any concerns or questions please discuss them with your line manager.

Regards

Gary Dunn”

After whistleblowers informed the press of Baroness Scotland’s antics, the response of the Baroness and her chief fixer was to threaten their staff with prosecution for leaking. Naturally the threat was then leaked to Guido. This is hardly the behaviour of someone with nothing to hide…