Fox Orders Investigation into Possible Breach of Ministerial Code
 |
October 7, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
The defence secretary has been accused of compromising the ministerial code by allowing a close friend access to the MoD.
The defence secretary, Liam Fox, has ordered an investigation into whether the proximity of his close friend to the Ministry of Defence has breached rules on ministerial conduct.
In an interview with the BBC this morning, Mr Fox implied that the accusations were wholly false, but confirmed that he they would be investigated.
“I’ve asked the permanent secretary to look into any of these wild allegations, and I’m very happy to stand by that investigation,” he said.
The controversy centres on Mr Fox’s friendship with 34-year-old Adam Werritty. Mr Werritty is a former flatmate of Mr Fox, and was best-man at the defence secretary’s wedding in 2005.
Despite having no official capacity within the Ministry of Defence, Mr Werritty has visited MoD headquarters 14 times since Mr Fox was appointed in May 2010. This was something confirmed by Mr Fox in the House of Commons last month after the Guardian ran a series of articles investigating Mr Werritty’s presence in and around the MoD.
It also emerged that Mr Werritty set up a meeting involving Dr Fox in Dubai last June; a meeting which could result in the defence secretary being called to testify at a US blackmail trial.
Upon this revelation, Labour called for an inquiry to investigate whether national security has been compromised.
In the previously mentioned Commons session, Mr Fox also asserted that: “Mr Werritty is not an employee of the Ministry of Defence and has therefore, not travelled with me on any overseas visits.”
However, a picture taken on the defence secretary’s recent trip to Sri Lanka clearly shows Mr Werritty as part of Mr Fox’s entourage. The Guardian also claims that Mr Werritty handed out business cards which advertise him as an adviser to the defence secretary.
In response, the MoD has said that Mr Werritty was present during Mr Fox’s trip but not in any official capacity. They also pointed out that the photograph in question was taken as Mr Fox was on his way to a private event, thereby distancing Mr Werritty from public engagements.
In his BBC interview, Mr Fox also addressed the issue of Mr Werrity’s business cards by stating that he has “made it very clear him that it’s unacceptable to carry a card saying that he’s a personal advisor”.
By Dermot Tobin
[Image courtesy of DefenceImages]
