Michael Dugher calls on Heywood to publish his review of the May/Gove spat

Sir Jeremy Heywood’s review of the recent spat between Theresa May and Michael Gove doesn’t look like it’s going to see the light of day. In response, Michael Dugher MP has written an open letter to Sir Jeremy Heywood, calling for him to publish the review “in full” and for “the Minister for the Cabinet Office to present it to the House of Commons to give Members a chance to examine its findings.”

It remains to be seen whether Heywood will follow Dugher’s advice but in the mean time, here’s the letter in full:

“Dear Sir Jeremy,

The ongoing row between the Education Secretary and Home Secretary reveals a government in chaos over an issue which goes to the heart both of our national security and of our children’s education.

On June 7th the Prime Minister said he had “received” your review into recent events.  Yesterday in the House of Commons the Home Secretary, in an inadequate and evasive performance, hid behind your review in order to sidestep specific questions over her role in the dispute.

Despite your review, significant questions remain unanswered.  For example, did the Home Secretary write the letter to the Education Secretary which appeared on the Home Office website on 4th June, with the intention that all or parts of it would be given to the media? Did the Home Secretary know the letter was on the Home Office website, and did she order it to be removed? And who authorised the letter’s publication and distribution to the media?

As long as these questions remain unanswered there will be a suspicion of guilt over the Home Secretary, who appears to be more preoccupied with her personal political positioning than acting in the national interest.

The Home Secretary stated yesterday that you had “concluded” that she did not break the Ministerial Code, and yet without full answers it is unclear how this conclusion was reached.

Section 2.1 of the “Ministerial Code” makes it clear that: “the privacy of opinions expressed in Cabinet and Ministerial Committees, including in correspondence, should be maintained.”

Section 3.3 is clear that: “The responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the Minister who made the appointment.”

The Home Secretary appears responsible for the leaking of private Ministerial correspondence and her Special Adviser at the centre of the row has been forced to resign.  It still remains unknown whether or not your review considered this in consultation with the independent adviser on Ministers’ interests.

To avoid any public doubt over the thoroughness of your review and to underline that your and the Prime Minister’s intentions are to conclude this matter transparently, it is vital that you now publish in full your review and that the Minister for Cabinet Office to present it to the House of Commons to give Members a chance to examine its findings.

In view of the widespread public interest in this matter, I am releasing this letter to the media.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Dugher MP

Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Officer”