Number 10 has not yet released letter of Lord Geidt to the prime minister detailing the reasons for his unanticipated departure, but will provide an update shortly.
The government is confronted with an urgent question in the House of Commons regarding the unexpected resignation, which follows the 2020 departure of the adviser’s predecessor.
Downing Street is under pressure to disclose the reason why Boris Johnson’s ethics adviser resigned, as the government faces an urgent question in the House of Commons regarding his departure.
Labour stated that the government must be transparent about the adviser’s departure, which follows the 2020 resignation of Sir Alex Allan, his predecessor in the role, and the resignation last week of John Penrose, the prime minister’s anti-corruption champion.
The party has submitted an urgent question regarding the issue.
Lord Geidt has only issued a brief statement regarding his departure, which reads, “With regret, I feel it is appropriate to resign from my position as Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests.”
Mr. Raab, the deputy prime minister, stated that the adviser will be replaced “immediately.”
Lord Geidt’s decision reportedly caught Downing Street off guard.
Last month, he stated that there was a “legitimate question” as to whether or not the prime minister had violated the ministerial code after receiving a partygate fine for attending a birthday party in the Cabinet Room in June 2020, when indoor socializing was prohibited.
Tuesday, he refused to deny to MPs that he had contemplated quitting over Mr. Johnson’s response to the fine.
Labour’s international trade secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, told: “Given the appalling behavior of this prime minister over an extended period, I do not find it surprising that another independent ethics adviser has resigned.
“What we cannot have is for Number 10 to withhold the reason from the public… we need Number 10 to be transparent about this.”
Chris Bryant, chairman of the Commons standards committee and a Labour member of parliament, told the BBC that the resignation letter should be made public.
“This is a typical practice of Downing Street. It states that there is nothing else to see, but we later discover there was an incriminating letter “he said.
“Reading between the lines and comparing all the various reports he has produced, he believes that the prime minister himself has violated the ministerial code,”
The Liberal Democrats have requested that parliament play a role in selecting Lord Geidt’s successor.
Sir Ed Davey, the party’s leader, stated, “History demonstrates that Boris Johnson cannot be trusted to choose his homework grader.”
Mr. Raab responded negatively when asked if Lord Geidt’s resignation, on top of the other two, reflected poorly on Mr. Johnson “It is not at all clear to me why this is happening.
“There are these issues surrounding the commercially sensitive matter on which he was engaged or consulted.
“As of earlier this week, he reportedly hoped to remain employed for another six months.
“He has faced that interrogation in front of elected officials. Therefore, you run the risk of adding one and one and obtaining three.
Number 10 will provide an additional update later today.
Mr. Raab responded, “I believe the government always acts ethically.” “Yes, I do. I believe that we are doing our best for the nation.
“Do we make mistakes? Yes, it does occur; as humans, we are fallible.”
