Senior Home Office aide is sacked after ‘stop leaks or else’ letter to top Tories was leaked to gossip site
- Andrew Lewer was fired as parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office
- His firing came after a short inquiry into the publication of a leaked letter
- The letter came from Tory chief whip Mark Spencer warning against leaks
- Boris Johnson was infuriated when second lockdown plans were leaked to media
Andrew Lewer, a ministerial aide, was sacked last night following a probe into a leaked letter that warned Torys of leaking
A ministerial aide was sacked last night after a probe into the sharing of a letter warning top Tories to stop leaking.
Andrew Lewer was fired as parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office after a short inquiry into the publication of the letter from Tory chief whip Mark Spencer.
The memo to parliamentary private secretaries and Tory vice-chairmen told them they could not vote against the Government or endorse campaigns criticising government policy.
Mr Spencer also pointed out that the Prime Minister’s foreword to the Ministerial Code ‘strictly prohibits “leaking” or any other breaches of trust’. But despite the warning, ironically, the letter was leaked yesterday to the Guido Fawkes political gossip site.
Mr Lewer was contacted last night but did not respond. Boris Johnson was infuriated in October when plans for a second lockdown were leaked to the media.
In the letter, Mr Spencer warned: ‘If you violate any aspect of the Ministerial Code you will be removed from your position with immediate effect. No “mitigating circumstances” will be acknowledged or accepted.’
Andrew Lewer was fired as parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office after a short inquiry into the publication of the letter from Tory chief whip Mark Spencer (pictured)
Despite the warning, the letter was leaked yesterday to the Guido Fawkes political gossip website, along with a briefing that many recipients were ‘fuming at this letter which they think is insulting’.
Parliamentary private secretaries occupy the lowest rung of the ministerial ladder. They are unpaid but have access to official documents relating to their departments.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has her own PPS, with Mr Lewer assisting other ministers in the department.
Mr Spencer’s letter followed a string of damaging leaks which have infuriated ministers.
It is understood the Chief Whip was so concerned by the possibility his own letter would leak that he had it formatted in a way that made each copy individually identifiable.
One senior Tory said the summary dismissal showed Mr Spencer was ‘serious about cracking down on discipline’.
Boris Johnson (pictured) was infuriated in October when plans for a second lockdown were leaked to the Mail and other news organisations
The Prime Minister was left infuriated in October when plans for a second lockdown were leaked to the Mail and other news organisations before they had even been finalised.
A Cabinet Office leak inquiry to uncover the so-called ‘chatty rat’ has seen ministers and senior officials grilled by Whitehall security experts.
But it has so far failed to identify the culprit. The Prime Minister told MPs this week that the inquiry was still ongoing.