Archive: Liam Fox’s final defense

Thom Hollick

The Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox is fighting for his political career this week, after damaging allegations have come to light concerning his relationship with an old friend of his, Adam Werritty.

Mr Werritty is a businessman involved with a number of businesses in defence and health contracting, but Dr FoxÔÇÖs former flatmate and best man at his 2005 wedding has been stirring up unwanted attention by styling himself as an official ÔÇ£Advisor to the Rt Hon Dr Fox MPÔÇØ. He even had business cards made up stating as much, with the ParliamentÔÇÖs portcullis logo proudly proclaiming it, despite being factually inaccurate.

Spreading this untruth may well have been profitable for Mr Werritty, as he was widely seen as the ÔÇÿgo-to-guyÔÇÖ for businessmen seeking an audience with the Defence Secretary, but the pressure from the media and the Labour opposition has been on Dr Fox, for either going along with this deception, or being ignorant of it.

The problem is that Liam Fox has been anything but consistent on the allegations. When they first emerged in the business pages of The Guardian, he dismissed them as ÔÇ£wild allegationsÔÇØ, believing a political opponent may be trying to smear him. He later conceded that Werritty had visited him at the Ministry of Defence offices in Whitehall on 14 occasions, and authorised an investigation into whether or not any sensitive information could have been leaked. Since further questioning, he has increased this to 22 visits, in addition to 18 journeys abroad together to places such as Sri Lanka, Dubai, and for a family holiday at FoxÔÇÖs Spanish villa.

LabourÔÇÖs shadow Jim Murphy sees this as a major error of judgement, since Werritty was not employed by the MoD, Parliament or the Conservative party, therefore had no reason to be accompanying Dr Fox on official business abroad.

The fact that he may have been using the trips to further his own private interests by meeting with FoxÔÇÖs international security contacts to discuss possible business opportunities makes the whole thing even murkier, leading to multiple inquiries being set up to see if Werritty, Fox, or anyone else may have profited from meetings facilitated by the public purse.

[pullquote]Fox has been anything but consistent on the allegations[/pullquote]

Elsewhere, another inquiry is being led by the cabinet office as to whether Liam Fox broke the ministerial code of conduct through his behaviour. The ministerial code is considerably wider reaching than the standard legal parliamentary procedures, designed to prohibit the appearance of wrongdoing, as well as wrongdoing itself. It reads: ÔÇ£Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise.ÔÇØ In a statement, Fox has already apologised for creating a false impression, so it seems fairly clear that the code has indeed been broken.

It is now up to the prime minister, David Cameron, to decide what should be done with Dr Fox, as he holds ultimate responsibility for the hiring and firing of his frontbench team. At the start of the sorry affair pundits seemed certain that Fox was heading for the chop, but he has appeared genuinely apologetic, and regrets ever allowing Werritty to accompany him on business. He doesnÔÇÖt appear to be willing to stand down of his own accord, but of course that could all change any day.

The fact that Cameron has not taken action yet is in itself interesting: whereas in previous governments a reshuffle of the cabinet was a regular occurrence, in the current coalition the PM seems determined to hold the group together at any cost.

Since David LawsÔÇÖ resignation in the opening days of the new government, almost all of the major figures have experienced gaffes and questions about their judgement, yet none have resigned or been sacked. It will be interesting to see whether Fox has finally managed to push the envelope far enough to break this trend. If not, what possible scandal could occur in the remainder of this parliament that could lead Cameron to rethink the line-up of his government?

Editor’s Comment

Luke Slade

It must be wonderful to have a friend like Adam Werritty. He could come with me on trips and hang around the office and be there whenever I want to offload one of my bad jokes.

You never know, if I asked nicely he might even write up all my lecture notes for me, that is, so long as I pay for all of the travel expenses – a small trade off really for a Fool at my beck and call.

Unfortunately heÔÇÖs already taken by Liam Fox. You would think he had enough friends really being the defense minister. And Cameron looks like he can take a joke.

[pullquote]You would think he had enough friends really being the defense minister[/pullquote]

Most of my friends make fun of me for being out all day editing a newspaper section let alone sit next to me with personal business cards printed. Then again he probably got them free from Printmania.

It is hard to believe that all this friendship was down to devotion. I am not suggesting they are lovers and IÔÇÖm not suggesting they are using each other; their relationship is simply mutually beneficial.

Laurel and Hardy, Wallace and Grommit and Holmes and Watson the list of male duos have a new entry this week: Fox and Werritty.

Best of luck to them. All this nonsense of resignation and sacking is absurd, whatÔÇÖs wrong with good old friendship?