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Christopher Geidt, a former private secretary to Queen Elizabeth, was appointed Britain's independent adviser on ministers' interests on Wednesday, overseeing the government's ministerial code of conduct.
BBC News By Cristina Criddle image copyrightGetty Images Ministers could be banned from using platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal for formal communications, if a legal challenge is successful. Campaigning law group Foxglove, on behalf of transparency campaigners The Citizens, has accused the government of having no legal policies on “government by text”. Members of both the cabinet and shadow cabinet use WhatsApp and Signal. The government told the BBC it adheres to guidance. "Appropriate arrangements" are already in place and policies are "kept under periodic review", a spokesman tol...
BBC News By Justin Parkinson image copyrightGetty Images The lobbying controversy that has enveloped Westminster is a complex and fast-developing story but there is one strand running right through the centre of it - the smartphone. WhatsApp and text messages have replaced face-to-face meetings and letters as the favourite method of communication for politicians. The casual, and sometimes untraceable, nature of these communications can make it harder for the Civil Service to ensure everyone - ministers, officials, businesses and lobbyists - plays by the rules. It wasn't that long ago that ev...
BBC News By Justin Parkinson image copyrightGetty Images The lobbying controversy that has enveloped Westminster is a complex and fast-developing story but there is one strand running right through the centre of it - the smartphone. WhatsApp and text messages have replaced face-to-face meetings and letters as the favourite method of communication for politicians. The casual, and sometimes untraceable, nature of these communications can make it harder for the Civil Service to ensure everyone - ministers, officials, businesses and lobbyists - plays by the rules. It wasn't that long ago that ev...
Don't show me this message again✕ Article bookmarked Don't show me this message again✕ Department of Office Furniture (Getty Images) Thanks to Laocoon for suggesting this tribute to Shirley Williams, who died this month, and who was once secretary of state for prices. I restricted it to the names of actual government departments, rather than ministerial titles or responsibilities (Denis Howell, minister for drought, was a popular one); there was an actual Department of Prices and Consumer Protection, 1974-79. Roy Hattersley was the only other secretary of state. 1. War Office, 1694-1964...