Monday, November 14, 2005

New Labour attacked over memoirs double standards

SIR Christopher Meyer, the former ambassador to Washington, has accused the Labour government of "double standards" by accusing him of betraying confidences with his memoirs while ministers continued to publish their own books.

The former diplomat and current head of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) has come under fire for his book from various New Labour party grandees.

Despite facing calls to stand down from the independent press watchdog, Sir Christopher said he had "absolutely no plans at all" to quit.

He told BBC1's Sunday AM that his book, DC Confidential, had been cleared for publication by the Cabinet Office without changes but he suggested that his instinct would have been to "publish and be damned" anyway if consent had not been given.

"I do think that there are areas of activity in foreign policy and in government where it is right to shine the light of day," he said. Labour had changed the rules governing civil servants when it came to power, he said. Sir Christopher pointed to ministers who rushed into print memoirs as soon as they left office, detailing conversations they had with civil servants who were still in their jobs.

"I think, against the background of a spew of books either by ministers or special advisers, civil servants are now put in a position of disadvantage," he said.

"I would like to see a new dispensation, with clarity and above all consistency across the board on these issues."

From Gerri Peev at The Scotsman

ED: But of course The Holy New Labour party is above criticism and always allowed to do what others are not allowed to do.

No comments: