Notepaper row goes to PM
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A row has now broken out, at Westminster, over the use by a Department of Transport special adviser of Dip notepaper to make a party political statement a few weeks ago.
The statement was sent, inadvertently, to the Conservative leader of Buckinghamshire County Council.
Tory transport spokesman Norman Fowler has now written to Prime Minister James Callaghan asking him to define the rules on the activities, of ministerial advisers.
CM learns that adviser Roger Liddle was personally appointed as special adviser by transport minister William Rodgers.
And it is thought that the statement he sent out – which urged Labour councillors in the regions to make as much political capital as possible out of any Conservative failures to implement the provisions of the White Paper – was authorised by the minister.
Mr Rodgers has told Mr Fowler that he maintains Mr Liddle has not broken any rules on conduct for special advisers. But the Tory shadow minister has condemned the statement as "demonstrable nonsense".
Mr Callaghan will have to decide whether there has been any breach of the rules.