Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Tessa Jowell, Taoiseach Meeting and Iran
Tessa Jowell
Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Margaret Beckett’s assessment today during an interview that what was being witnessed was a witch-hunt with regards to Tessa Jowell, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) wanted to first of all stress that someone had suggested to him that Margaret Beckett was only put out this morning to sell a line: she was not. Margaret Beckett chose to go on herself, and voice her support for Tessa Jowell in what was a difficult time. Everybody recognised that this was a difficult time, but as we had made clear at the weekend, Tessa Jowell continued to enjoy the Prime Minister’s full support, and she should be allowed to get on and do her job.
Put that Estelle Morris had also given an interview today and had said that there were "still serious issues", and was that the Prime Minister’s view as well, the PMOS said that the issue about the Ministerial Code was dealt with last week and was over. As the PMOS had said in Thursday, what was important was that people separated out legal proceedings in Italy which did not involve Tessa Jowell, and Tessa Jowell and the Ministerial Code. Tessa Jowell, therefore should be allowed to get on and do her job.
Asked if we were quite happy for the two to be successfully "ring-fenced" now, the PMOS said that theissues around the Ministerial Code were dealt with last week, and as the PMOS had said on Friday, Tessa Jowell had dealt with, and would continue to deal with any issues around the Standards Commissioner for Parliament, as with any other MP. Therefore, yes, we believed that the two should be kept separate.
Put that there were some questions that had been raised to do with the Ministerial Code and Tessa Jowell’s mortage, being that she should have known that the original loan had been paid off, and were we aware that all the questions had been looked at, and what happened if any fresh information came up, the PMOS replied that we would deal with any fresh information as and when it came in. In terms of what the PMOS had seen so far, he said that everything seemed to have been dealt with, but people should wait and see.
Asked again about Tessa Jowell’s mortgages, the PMOS said that he was not going to get into a running commentary on precise allegations. Tessa Jowell believed that she had dealt with the Ministerial Code, and the report back from Sir Gus O’Donnell established the facts, and the Prime Minister came to the judgement that she had not broken the Ministerial Code.
Asked would happened now, the PMOS said that as with all these matters, first and foremost, the connection was between the Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary.
Asked when the Prime Minister last saw David Mills, the PMOS said he did not know. The PMOS added that we did not give out a running commentary of the Prime Minister’s meetings with private individuals, but he did talk to Tessa Jowell over the weekend.
Asked if Tessa Jowell had offered to resign, the PMOS replied that as he had said before, he was not aware that she had.
Put that on Friday morning, there had been suggestions about a discussion regarding Tessa Jowell’s continuing Cabinet status, the PMOS said that he had read several descriptions of Friday morning, none of which he recognised.
Asked if the Prime Minister agreed that Tessa Jowell’s critics were really the Prime Minister’s critics, the PMOS said that whilst he gave a running commentary on many things, the words of critics was one of the many things that he did not!
Asked if it was the view that Tessa Jowell’s separation from her husband made it easier for things to be kept separate, or was that entirely irrelevant, the PMOS answered that it was entirely irrelevant. That was a personal matter. He dealt soley with her role as a Minister.
Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Margaret Beckett that this it was a witch-hunt, the PMOS said that Margaret Beckett had expressed herself in her way, and what she was expressing was the very strong view that Tessa Jowell had dealt with the allegations made last week. Therefore, Tessa Jowell should be allowed to get on with her job, and that was a view that the Prime Minister very strongly shared.
Pointed out that the PMOS had used the plural of allegations, the PMOS said whether it was called allegation or allegations, people should not build an entire programme on it.
Taoiseach Meeting
Asked for further information about the Prime Minister’s meeting with the Taoiseach on Wednesday, the PMOS said that this would be a stock-take exercise and how we moved things forward. As the PMOS had said before, the Prime Minister had a clear idea about what he believed should happen, and as we were all aware, and it should come as no surprise, there were different views shared between the Parties. What was important was that the two Governments agreed on how we moved things forward. The PMOS said that what he would not lead people to expect was any great announcement after Wednesday, or any joint press conference.
Asked to comment on Paul Murphy’s comments yesterday regarding restoring the devolved assembly at Stormont should negotiations fail, the PMOS said that as the Prime Minister had said to Mark Durkan in the House last week, it was not the Government who could dictate to people what they should do, but the Parties had to agree and work together to try and reach a consensus as well. There was no point imposing something on the Parties if they did not agree.
Iran
Asked about the possibility of Iran sanctions, the PMOS said that the important thing was that everybody recognised the size of majority on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to have this matter reported to the UN. People should take it one step at a time. There was a very strong message that Iran was being sent today, and the vote by the IAEA was 27 to 3 that had agreed, and this was an almost unique vote in terms of agreement being reached.
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