Traumatised Labour has not yet started the recruitment process for a new director general in the Propriety and Constitution Group of the Cabinet Office. This is usually a powerful role for a civil servant which can decide political fates and deals with a lot of sensitive events in the day-to-day of Whitehall…
The post was previously staffed by Darren Tierney, who was rated as capable, before he left to run the ONS in August last year. The post has still not been filled…
In response to a parliamentary question from Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake a Labour minister said:
“The Director General for Propriety and Constitution Group is currently filled on an interim basis, a permanent appointment has not been made. The recruitment campaign is still currently in planning stages and details will be released in due course.”
Ellen Atkinson is listed on government website as the Director General for group – she was hired in violation of ethics rules. Interestingly the government has decided that she is there on an interim basis…
That is a gap of nine months before the government has even bothered beginning the process to find a new propriety chief. Has Starmer lost interest in the concept…
Lucy Powell on LBC, asked by Tom Swarbrick for her reaction to Labour MP Samantha Niblett’s call for a ‘summer of sex’ debate in Parliament: “I personally don’t own any sex toys, but each to their own… I’m not really sure that’s the right place for it, no.”