Publish the text messages and let the public decide – Ashworth letter to PM over Tories’ NHS “sweetheart deal”

Prime Minister,

I am writing to you in light of today’s revelations about text messages sent by the leader of Surrey county council which suggest that the government has agreed to funding arrangements for social care that allow the cancellation of a proposed referendum on a council tax increase in this council.

Given your failure to provide clarity on the issue when asked in the chamber today, and bearing in mind the great importance of this issue given the crisis faced by social care in our country, I am hereby requesting for the secretary of state for communities and local government to make an urgent statement to the House tomorrow.

This news has caused considerable embarrassment to the government, in particular the secretary of state for health and the chancellor of the exchequer. To rule out any suggestions of wrongdoing, the government now needs to confirm that no special deal has been offered or granted to Surrey county council.

I believe that the British public deserve full transparency on the issue. In the public interest, I therefore ask you to publish immediately and without delay:

a) The memorandum of understanding referenced in the text messages sent by the leader of Surrey county council;

b) All text message correspondence between Surrey county council and government officials in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health, and the Treasury regarding social care funding and/or the proposed referendum;

c) All written or electronic correspondence between Surrey county council and Government officials in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health, and the Treasury regarding social care funding and/or the proposed referendum;

d) Details and minutes of all meetings held between Surrey county council and government officials in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health, and the Treasury regarding social care funding and/or the proposed referendum.

Additionally, as the prime minister knows the ministerial code requires holders of public office to “act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner” and that “information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so”. I am therefore asking you to confirm that any misconduct by ministers related to this matter will be investigated and treated as a breach of the ministerial code.

Given the questions these news raise about proper conduct and transparency of government policy-making, I am sending a copy of this letter to the director general of the propriety and ethics team. I will also be publishing this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Ashworth MP

cc. Sue Gray, director general, Propriety and Ethics Team and Head of Private Offices Group