Top civil servant tells Short to shut up
Former cabinet minister goes public with letter of rebuke from most senior mandarin
Nicholas Watt, political correspondent
Monday March 1, 2004
The Guardian
Britain's most senior civil servant took the exceptional step of writing to rebuke the former cabinet minister Clare Short for discussing intelligence matters, she revealed yesterday in a theatrical television appearance.
Sir Andrew Turnbull, the cabinet secretary, wrote of how he was "extremely disappointed" at her behaviour and censured her for claiming that Britain had eavesdropped on the UN secretary general Kofi Annan. He hinted that she may be thrown out of the Privy Council or even face prosecution.
His letter was described by constitutional experts as unprecedented.
Sir Andrew was said to be livid about Ms Short's decision to go public with the letter which she brandished in front of the cameras live on ITV1's Jonathan Dimbleby programme.
In a move which took her battle with the Blair circle to new heights, Ms Short said: "I've had a letter from the secretary of the cabinet, the threatening letter saying I mustn't give any interviews and otherwise he reserves the right of the Crown to take further action. That's a threat and I'm here because there's so much smearing going on now, I just want to give my account of events."
Ms Short then quoted Sir Andrew as saying: "I hope that you will take no further part in interviews on this issue, I also reserve the right of the Crown to take further action as necessary."
In a choreographed move, Ms Short then handed the letter to Mr Dimbleby who quoted Sir Andrew as saying: "I have to admit to being extremely disappointed at your behaviour. I very much regret that you've seen fit to make claims which damage the interests of the United Kingdom."
The Cabinet Office made clear Sir Andrew's determination to rein in Ms Short when a spokeswoman explained the thinking behind his letter.
She said: "It is always the duty of the cabinet secretary to remind ministers and ex-ministers of their obligations that they have accepted when taking up a ministerial office."
Government sources made clear last night that Sir Andrew had acted on his own initiative.
The prime minister is understood to want to see his former cabinet minister punished, but is wary of turning her into a martyr. Throwing her out of the Privy Council on the initiative of the cabinet secretary would achieve his goals.
Downing Street was also delighted when Ms Short was forced to backtrack on her claim about British agents bugging Mr Annan. In her interview, she admitted that the transcripts she saw of Mr Annan's private conversations might have related to Africa and not to Iraq.
Asked whether she could confirm that the transcripts related to Iraq, she said: "I can't, but there might well have been ... I cannot remember a specific transcript in relation, it doesn't mean it wasn't there."
Ms Short also admitted that her original claim, on Radio 4's Today programme last Thursday, that Britain had eavesdropped on Mr Annan may have been inaccurate.
Asked whether the material could have passed to the British by the Americans, she said: "It could. But it normally indicates that. But I can't remember that."
Ms Short made clear her determination to maintain the pressure by raising doubts about the attorney general's legal advice about the war.
"It is hard not to think [Lord Goldsmith] may have been leant on," she said.
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