by Chris McLaughlin
THE lobbyist at the centre of the police probe into the financing of Peter Hain’s deputy leadership campaign is under investigation by the spin industry’s regulatory body.
If Steve Morgan is found to be in breach of the code of conduct overseen by the Association of Professional Political Consultants his company could face the ultimate sanction of expulsion from the group. A spokesman for the company rigorously denied any breach of the rules had occurred.
The association was set up to police conduct within the political consultancy industry after the Tories’cash for questions’ scandals in the last decade.
Suspension or expulsion from the approved register risks commercial disaster. The last time the body’s disciplinary committee suspended a company was in the “Drapergate” scandal when the former spin doctor to Peter Mandelson, Derek Draper, was found in breach of the code of conduct.
He had boasted that he could arrange meetings in exchange for cash with the most powerful figures in Tony Blair’s Government because he knew them all “personally”. He was deemed to have made misleading and exaggerated claims.
An emergency meeting of the association’s management committee was called last Monday to examine a formal complaint against Mr Morgan by a former member of his consultancy firm Morgan Allen Moore. One of the founders was Tracy Moore, wife of environment minister Phil Woolas works.
It decided to call for more evidence and another meeting is to be held on Monday (February 4) to decide whether to refer the case to the association’s professional practices committee, made up of senior retired civil servants and lawyers.
The employee, James Devonport, a former staffer at Tory HQ, claims that a £5,000 donation through think tank Progressive Policies Forum through MAM and allowed the Hain4Labour campaign to use the firm’s offices.
The investigation centres on whether there has been a breach of article 12 of the code of conduct which says that companies “must keep strictly separate from their duties and activities any personal activity or involvement on behalf of a political party”.
Gill Morris, chair of the APPC and head of the Connect public affairs group, said: “I cannot comment on any particular case or speculate on the outcome except to confirm that we have asked for further evidence and a decision on whether to refer the matter upwards will be made on Monday.”
Among the claims under consideration is an allegation that cheques to Mr Hain’s campaign were sent via the Cardiff offices of MAM before ending up in the campaign fund.
Company director Richard Moore said: “None of these allegations stand up to scrutiny. They are from a disgruntled ex-employee with a political
agenda.”
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That leaves Hain off the hook then, no, why not.