THE Cabinet Office has said it will look at a letter claiming that Prime Minister David Cameron breached ministerial code after he offered the help of Downing Street advisors to Oxfordshire County Council. 

In an exchange of letters – revealed by the Oxford Mail on Friday – the Witney MP told county council leader Ian Hudspeth he would be "happy to initiate dialogue with advisors in the No 10 policy unit and yourself". 

This was after he criticised the local authority for its "unwelcome and counterproductive" proposals to save cash by closing children's centres and mobile libraries, and said cost-cutting could be done "in an more creative manner".

In his response, Mr Hudspeth said he would take up the Prime Minister's offer "as quickly as possible" but the county council has not yet said if any meetings took place.

But the intervention has led Shadow Minister without portfolio Jon Ashworth to write to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the most senior civil servant and Cabinet Secretary, asking whether the ministerial code was broken.

The code says ministers must not use government facilities "for party or constituency activities".

Mr Ashworth told the Oxford Mail today: "This looks to me like a clear breach, but the judgement will have to come from Sir Jeremy.

"You are not allowed to use your ministerial office to the advantage of your own constituency and – to be frank – as far as I am aware, the Prime Minister has certainly not also invited my local council or others in the country to visit the No10 policy unit.

"It is one thing for him to complain as member of parliament for Witney to his local council leader about cuts in the way he has but, given it is him and George Osborne who are responsible for the cuts which councils across the land are grappling with, it is just hypocrisy."

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office said: "We have received the letter and will look into the matter in due course.

"We do not comment on leaked correspondence and we won't be saying anything further."

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Government regularly speaks to council leaders on local government issues.

"For example, we have been discussing devolution deals with councils from across the political spectrum."

 

Jon Ashworth's letter to Sir Jeremy Heywood:

Dear Sir Jeremy,

I am writing with regards to reports of correspondence between the Prime Minister and Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, in September of this year.

The exchange of letters relates to the potential impact of budget cuts on the council in 2016-17, with the Prime Minister expressing disappointment at the council’s proposed cuts to frontline services. In his letter, dated 14 September 2015, the Prime Minister offers Mr Hudspeth the opportunity to meet with the Number 10 Policy Unit, apparently to discuss how to manage the implementation of budget cuts and the role that a potential ‘devolution deal’ could play in this respect.

“In that context, I would be happy to initiate a further dialogue with advisers in the No10 Policy Unit and yourself – please contact Sheridan Westlake [email] if you wish to take this up.”

Letter from David Cameron to Ian Hudspeth, 14 September 2015, 

Please could you advise of the propriety of this offer in relation to the ministerial code?  The letter appears to have been written by the Prime Minister in his role as an Oxfordshire MP yet it suggests a meeting with his Downing Street Policy Unit. I note that the ministerial code states that “Ministers in the House of Commons must keep separate their roles as Minister and constituency Member” (p.2) and that “Ministers are provided with facilities at Government expense to enable them to carry out their official duties. These facilities should not generally be used for Party or constituency activities” (p.13).

Is it the case that if the Prime Minister has made this offer of “further dialogue” available to the leader of his local county council, similar offers should be made to all the leaders of other councils? Surely the leader of the Prime Minister’s county council should not be given preferential treatment?

With that in mind, please could you confirm firstly whether the proposed meeting between Mr Hudspeth and the Policy Unit has taken place (or is currently planned) and secondly, whether similar offers have been made to other council leaders.

I look forward to your response.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Jonathan Ashworth MP