The former Queen’s private secretary is described by many as an ‘honourable man’
Boris Johnson’s former ethics adviser says he quit his role after the PM put him in an “impossible and odious” position by asking him to approve a “deliberate” breach of the ministerial code.
In a letter to the prime minister, he said he had only been credibly holding onto the role “by a very small margin” since partygate.
But the final straw was being asked to intervene on “measures which risk a deliberate and purposeful breach of the ministerial code”, a request he said placed him in an “impossible and odious position.”
Lord Geidt concluded: “I can have no part in this”.
Downing Street had initially refused to publish the full letter, releasing only a very slim statement from Lord Geist when he first announced he had tendered his resignation.
Writing in a statement he said: “With regret, I feel that it is right that I am resigning from my post as Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests.”
Lord Geidt’s shock resignation makes him the second independent adviser to resign under Johnson, following Alex Allan, who quit after the prime minister ignored his findings that Priti Patel had bullied civil servants.
He had taken on the role of ethics adviser in April 2021, after serving a decade as the Queen’s private secretary.
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