Suella Braverman: Lib Dems demand inquiry into potential breach of ministerial code 

EMBARGO: For Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have called on the ethics adviser to launch an official investigation into whether Suella Braverman has breached the ministerial code by attacking civil servants over the government’s small boats policy.

In a letter to Rishi Sunak’s Ethics Adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine warned that Suella Braverman’s comments appeared to be a “clear breach of the ministerial code” and demanded an immediate investigation. She also called on Rishi Sunak to sack Suella Braverman if it’s confirmed she did breach the Code.

Paragraph 5.1 of the Ministerial Code states that: “Ministers must uphold the political impartiality of the Civil Service,” and “Ministers should be professional in their working relationships with the Civil Service and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect.” 

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

“Suella Braverman’s rhetoric is not only disrespectful and wrong, it is a potentially serious breach of the Ministerial Code.

“Ministers are expected to respect the impartiality of the civil servants, and be professional and respectful towards them. Braverman’s comments have fallen way short of those standards by attacking civil servants and dragging them into deluded Conservative Party conspiracy theories.

“We need an urgent inquiry to get to the bottom of this. IIf Suella Braverman is found to have breached the Ministerial Code again, Rishi Sunak will surely have no choice but to sack her. Anything less would leave his promise to govern with integrity in tatters.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The relevant section of the Ministerial Code can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-code/ministerial-code#ministers-and-civil-servants

See full letter below.

8th March 2023 

Dear Sir Laurie Magnus, 

I am writing further to Suella Braverman’s email to Conservative party members and supporters regarding the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill.

Yesterday, an email was sent to Conservative party supporters in the Home Secretary’s name. In this email, the Home Secretary named ‘civil servants’ as part of “an activist blob” who have “blocked” the Government from “[trying] to stop the small boat crossings without changing our laws”. 

As you will be aware, paragraph 5.1 of the Ministerial Code clearly states that, “Ministers must uphold the political impartiality of the Civil Service, and …  be professional in their working relationships with the Civil Service and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect.”

This appears to be a clear breach of that Code. As well as being factually inaccurate, these comments unnecessarily denigrate hard working civil servants. I urge you to open an investigation into whether the Home Secretary has broken the Ministerial Code with immediate effect.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Christine Jardine MP

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson