The various Partygate allegations aimed in the direction of Number 10 have led to numerous calls from opposing sides for Boris Johnson to resign. This week’s Sue Gray report was damning about those in power of the country, with it saying there were failures of leadership and judgement.
However, so far, the Prime Minister has held firm, rejecting any notion of him resigning. Johnson has come under further scrutiny over his decision to make controversial changes to the ministerial code.
But just what is the ministerial code? And what changes have been made? Here is everything you need to know.
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What is the ministerial code?
As stated by the Gov.uk website, the code “sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.” The earliest published form of the code can be traced back to 1992 and was a result of the release of Questions of Procedure for Ministers (QPM) by the Major Government.
However, the first edition to don this name was Tony Blair's 1997 set of rules. By convention, each new Prime Minister issues their rules encompassed in the code.
It is periodically updated, with the 2015 update removing the explicit requirement that ministers comply with international law and treaty obligations. Beginning with a foreword by the Prime Minister, the code has 10 sections and two annexes, including Ministers’ Private Interests, Ministers and the Presentation of Policy and Travel by Ministers.
Annex A sets out the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
What changes has Boris Johnson made?
The primary alteration that has taken place within the code is that it now allows ministers to apologise rather than having to resign if they are deemed to have breached the rules. This comes as Johnson is facing an inquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee into whether he himself broke the code by misleading Parliament and telling them that there were no lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.
A Government policy statement said it was “disproportionate” to expect ministers to resign or be sacked for “minor” violations of the code’s standards. A lesser sanction, such as “some form of public apology, remedial action or removal of ministerial salary for a period” has been included in the update.
An additional major change sees the independent adviser now able to initiate an investigation into potential breaches of the code. Previously only the Prime Minister could do this, although the code’s updated version now states that the final decision will remain with the PM.
The Cabinet Office said in a statement: "The government has been mindful of the need to avoid incentives for trivial or vexatious complaints which may be made for partisan reasons. Such complaints can undermine public confidence in standards in public life rather than strengthen it."
Opposition parties are less than impressed with this decision as they feel there will now be less scrutiny on those in power. Labour said that the PM removed all references to “integrity, objectivity, accountability, transparency, honesty and leadership in the public interest” from his own foreword to “save his own skin” while Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “This Prime Minister is downgrading and debasing the principles of public life before our very eyes.”
