Boris Johnson dedicated ‘clear and unambiguous’ rule breach by taking columnist job, says watchdog

Boris Johnson dedicated a “clear and unambiguous” breach of the foundations on post-ministerial jobs after taking over a job as a columnist on the Daily Mail, a watchdog has dominated.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, referred to as Acoba, revealed as we speak that the previous prime minister solely requested them for recommendation on the place half-hour earlier than the newspaper introduced his new column on Twitter.

But the foundations state former ministers ought to neither announce nor take up jobs earlier than receiving recommendation from the committee for 2 years after leaving workplace.

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The chair of Acoba and former Tory MP, Lord Pickles, mentioned the case was a “further illustration of how out of date” the foundations had been, because the committee might not depend on the “good chaps” precedent – the place ministers noticed “the letter and spirit of the rules”.

In a letter to Cabinet Office Secretary Oliver Dowden, the chair referred to as for sanctions to be launched for breaches, and whereas he acknowledged the division was engaged on a variety of proposals, he added: “I am concerned that if the government waits until these reforms can be implemented together, it risks further scandals in the meantime.”

Mr Johnson announced he was standing down as an MP on 10 June after receiving a report from the privileges committee, which discovered he had lied to parliament over lockdown breaking events in Downing Street when he was PM.

Per week later, stories surfaced within the media that he was going to start out a weekly column for the Daily Mail.

Acoba has printed correspondence between the committee and Mr Johnson’s crew, exhibiting he had solely utilized for recommendation from them after the news tales had surfaced and precisely half-hour earlier than the newspaper introduced his appointment.

The former PM then wrote to them at 4:41pm saying he had written his first column, “though at this moment it has not yet been published”, including: “I have not yet signed any contract or been paid.

“If you may have any objection to my signing a contract within the subsequent few weeks maybe you would let me know. I might admire an pressing reply.”

However, earlier than the committee had responded, Mr Johnson himself took to Twitter, posting a video about his new job.

He has written two columns for the newspaper thus far, although neither focuses on politics. Instead, he has written a couple of weight reduction drug and the Titanic sub.