Inside Politics: Ethics

Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss won’t commit to appointing ethics adviser as she’s accused of breaking ministerial code, writes Matt Mathers

(AP)

Hello there, I’m Matt Mathers and welcome to The Independent’s Inside Politics newsletter.

Best wishes to everyone celebrating Ukraine’s Independence Day – stay safe. Back in the Tory leadership race, Liz Truss has refused to commit to appointing a new ethics adviser if she wins the keys to No 10 – just as she is accused of breaking the ministerial code.

Inside the bubble

Parliament is not sitting.

Tory leadership hopeful Rishi Sunak on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.10am.

Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed on TalkTV Breakfast at 8.50am.

Daily briefing

Code breaker?

During the Tory leadership campaign, some Westminster watchers have described Liz Truss as the “continuity Boris” candidate. And last night, the foreign secretary vowed to follow in the outgoing prime minister’s footsteps in at least one aspect, as she refused to commit to appointing an ethics adviser if she wins the keys to No 10 Downing Street.

At a hustings event number 10 in Birmingham last night, Truss declined to answer whether she would find someone to fill the role previously held by Lord Christopher Geidt, who resigned as Johnson’s adviser following multiple scandals and concerns that the PM had broken the ministerial code over Partygate. The code is now being overseen by Simon Case, the cabinet secretary.

What Truss said night: “I do think one of the problems we have got in this country in the way we approach things is we have numerous advisers and independent bodies, and rules and regulations. For me, it’s about understanding the difference between right and wrong, and I am somebody who has always acted with integrity…and that is what I would do as prime minister.”

How it’s going: “Liz Truss has been reported to the cabinet secretary amid claims she is using her grace-and-favour mansion to help with her leadership bid.”

According to a report in The Sunday Times, Truss and her team used Chevening – the Grade I-listed 17th Kent country house reserved for the use of the foreign secretary – for a campaign team meeting (i.e a party political purpose) which would be against the rules. Opposition MPs have called for an investigation to be launched into the affair. Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain has written to Case calling for a probe; the Cabinet Office said last night it had not received the correspondence and declined to immediately comment on the matter. Team Truss is also yet to comment.

Truss’s rival, Rishi Sunak, said he would appoint a replacement for Lord Geidt. The former chancellor vowed to run a government of “competency” and “decency” if he manages to stage an upset and emerge victorious in the contest on 5 September. If the report is confirmed, and Truss is found to have broken the ministerial code, it would be an embarrassing development and raise serious questions about her judgement and that of her team.

(AP)

Net zero fears

Not only is the energy crisis resulting in sky-high bills for consumers, but it is also undermining the UK’s net zero climate plans. The climate crisis has come into sharp focus here in the UK in recent weeks amid sweltering heatwaves and drought.

Firms, however, are slamming the brakes on switching to lower-energy plants and machinery on cost grounds. According to the Confederation of British Industry, which says it speaks for up to 190,000 businesses, no fewer than three in 10 firms said spending on ‘green’ investment will be “paused or halted entirely” unless the new government acts to cut industry costs dramatically.

In an interview with The Independent, the organisation said bosses’ “hearts and minds” are fully behind the net zero commitment – but “harsh economic reality” is throwing that into jeopardy.

“Cost and cashflow pressures affect the net zero investments they would like to be getting on with – something has to give,” said Matthew Fell, the organisation’s chief policy director.

On the record

Lib Dem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain on reports Truss is using Chevening for her campaign.

“It is incredibly important that we find out if members of the current Zombie Government are using the public purse for their own leadership ambitions. Boris Johnson trashed standards in public life. We know that Truss wants to be seen as continuity Boris, but let’s hope she has not followed his lead in trashing the Ministerial Code and taking the British people for fools.”

From the Twitterati

Resolution Foundation chief executive Torsten Bell on rising energy bills.

“It is time to get more serious about what’s coming. We will have to step in in a much bigger way this autumn to avoid thousands of people having energy cut off entirely and millions running up huge arrears.”

Essential reading

• Diane Abbott, The Independent: Police have a history of not taking missing Black people like Owami Davies seriously
• John Rentoul, The Independent: Liz Truss will turn back to ‘Treasury orthodoxy’ when she is mugged by economic reality
• Daniel Finkelstein, The Times: America’s Wild West duel holds lessons for us too
• Nataliya Gumenyuk, The Guardian: Ukraine’s independence day was always important. Now it is a matter of life and death

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