John Spellar MP writes to Cabinet Secretary after Lib Dems hand out party materials at ministerial event

It appears that the Lib Dems have been caught using government resources to publicise their own party on government premises, after being caught handing out Lib Dem materials at a press event in the Scotland Office this morning, hosted by Nick Clegg. Labour MP John Spellar has written to the Cabinet Secretary to alert him to the breach of the ministerial code:

Dear Sir Jeremy,

I am writing to you about what appears to be a straightforward breach of civil service propriety rules and the Ministerial Code.

At his press conference held at the Scotland Office this morning, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg appeared in front of a backdrop using the slogan “Stronger Economy Fairer Society”. I am sure you are aware that “Stronger Economy Fairer Society” is a slogan which has been widely used on Liberal Democrat party political campaigning materials – for example, it appears on the front page and several other pages on the Liberal Democrat website.

At the press conference, a Liberal Democrat booklet entitled “A Record of Delivery: What the Liberal Democrats have achieved in Government”, with the slogan “Stronger Economy Fairer Society” on the front cover, was handed out. Immediately after the press conference, this booklet was launched on the Liberal Democrat website.

This appears to be an example of coordinated Liberal Democrat party political activity, conducted on government premises with the use of government resources and civil servants.

As you know, civil service propriety guidance states that public resources must not be used to support publicity for party political purposes.

The Ministerial Code requires ministers to uphold the impartiality of the Civil Service. They must not ask civil servants to act in any way that conflicts with the Civil Service Code. Ministers must ensure that public resources are not used to support publicity for party political purposes.

Cabinet Office Propriety Guidance, p. 5

Communicators and other public resources are provided to help ministers explain the Government’s policies in a positive light. Government communicators or other resources cannot be used for image-making, which is the province of the party political machine. Ministers must be protected from accusations of using public resources for political purposes, and they have a duty under the Ministerial Code to protect the integrity of civil servants.

Cabinet Office Propriety Guidance, p. 8

The Ministerial Code is similarly clear in ruling out the use of government resources for party political purposes.

i. Ministers must not use government resources for Party political purposes;

j. Ministers must uphold the political impartiality of the civil service and not ask civil servants to act in any way which would conflict with the Civil Service Code as set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

Ministerial Code, para 1.2, p. 2

I would therefore be grateful if you could answer the following questions:

• What was the total cost to the Government of the Deputy Prime Minister’s press conference, including the cost of the backdrop and any other materials including the Liberal Democrat slogan “Stronger Economy Fairer Society”?
• Is it acceptable for government communications to use the Liberal Democrat slogan “Stronger Economy Fairer Society”?
• Is it acceptable for the Liberal Democrats to use a government press conference for party political purposes, coordinating the launch and publication of a party document carrying the slogan “Stronger Economy Fairer Society” and then handing it out at the same press conference on government premises inside the Scotland Office?
• Will you ensure that in future party political slogans are not used in government communications?

Given the public interest in these matters I am releasing this letter to the media.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon John Spellar MP