Downing Street Says » Sir Alistair Graham

» Thursday, March 9, 2006

Sir Alistair Graham

Asked why Geoff Hoon had rejected Sir Alistair Graham’s proposals, the PMOS said that the problem with the call for independent figures was that the only argument put forward was that they could reach decisions with less controversy. If people actually looked at the experiences of the Mayor of London, Lord Hutton and even the one in yesterday’s Evening Standard about Sir Philip Mawer it did not seem to be the case. In the end these decisions were matters of judgement, so what was appropriate was that the person accountable to parliament and ultimately the electorate took those decisions. In the end these would always be seen as matters of judgement. This was why the Prime Minster continued to believe that he was the one that the electorate expected to take such decisions about ministers. Geoff Hoon had been reflecting that view.

Put that Sir Alistair Graham had suggested that this would benefit ministers, the PMOS said that it was difficult to see how. The problem was not in establishing the facts it was in making the judgements based on them. In the end therefore the key was accountability. Should you have someone who was accountable taking decisions that the electorate can hold to account or not. The idea that some independent figure, such as Hutton, Mawer or in the Mayor of London’s case would be treated as a new Solomon who was beyond reproach was for the birds. If as suggested the Prime Minister remained the final arbitrator then in what way had that changed the controversial part of what happened now. The controversial part was not the establishment of the facts it was in the judgements taken.

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