When I wrote my blog yesterday morning on the mired state of the Defence Secretary (who as I suggested, might not be in post much longer – clearly not a difficult prediction!) and his colleague the Education Secretary, I could not have imagined that within hours we would have new revelations about this ‘accident’ prone Government. This afternoon Liam Fox has announced his resignation and a minor re-shuffle is underway. However this is not the news that I refer to.

This morning the newspapers revealed that a third member of the Cabinet is in the spotlight for finding creative ways of avoiding the office staff and governmental protocols. Apparently Oliver Letwin has been working in St James Park each morning, dictating letters, reading correspondence and bizarrely throwing used documents in the litter bins in the park. This is such a clear  breach of data protection legislation that one wonders if the Minister for Government Policy Advice either has an extreme form of claustrophobia, is incredibly arrogant or just plain stupid.

The Data Protection Act in 1984 introduced by the Thatcher Government only covered computerised data but the update to the Act in 1998 (by the Blair Government) extended the powers to written documents. Few people in responsible positions in the UK could have avoided being briefed on the DPA as part of their work based inductions since the Act came into force. It would be bizarre if Government Ministers are not included in some form of briefing as part of their introduction to their offices of state. Perhaps as one of his last actions before leaving work, Sir Gus O’Donnell could ensure that all of the MPs and Lords have been appropriately briefed just in case. On a more serious note, Tony Blair was widely criticised for his unwillingness to follow process and tradition and circumventing the civil service. It is time for some of those commentators to once again raise concerns:

Michael Gove has been using subterfuge to send emails to colleagues, avoiding the civil servants who are intended to help implement departmental plans, and avoiding the prospect of Freedom of Information applications.

Liam Fox was working with Adam Werritty through a series of sham not for profit companies and charities (breaking charity law amongst others) to to assist him develop defence related ideas and connections, avoiding civil servants and circumventing possible Freedom of Information applications. 

Oliver Letwin has been working with the Squirrels and Parkeepers in St James Park to deal with his office administration away from the preying gaze of the civil servants and outside of the Freedom of Information net.

to be continued ?…………..