British PM Johnson's ethics adviser says he quit after being put in 'impossible and odious' position

LONDON (REUTERS) - Boris Johnson's former ethics adviser said he decided to resign after being placed in an “odious position” by a government plan, yet another resignation to challenge the British prime minister’s authority.

Mr Christopher Geidt, whose role was to advise Mr Johnson on matters relating to the ministerial code of conduct, did not specify what the advice was about but said an intention to breach the code to suit a political end would have made a "mockery" of the code, rules which set standards for government.

It is the latest resignation from Mr Johnson’s government, which is under pressure on multiple fronts. The prime minister has been criticised for his role in the so-called “partygate” as well as his deportation policy to Rwanda, and the EU has said a new plan to deal with post-Brexit trade is illegal.

"This request has placed me in an impossible and odious position," he said in his resignation letter to Mr Johnson, which was published by the government on Thursday (June 16). "I can have no part in this."

Mr Johnson, responding in a letter, said he was surprised by the resignation, adding that the issue Mr Geidt was asked to consider was "potential future decisions related to the Trade Remedies Authority", which may have conflicted with Britain's obligations under the World Trade Organisation.

He said the issue previously had enjoyed cross-party support but may have conflicted with Britain’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation.

"My intention was to seek your advice on the national interest in protecting a crucial industry, which is protected in other European countries and would suffer material harm if we do not continue to apply such tariffs," Mr Johnson wrote.

"In seeking your advice before any decision was taken, I was looking to ensure that we acted properly with due regard to the ministerial code."

Mr Geidt is Mr Johnson's second ethics adviser to quit in the last two years.

The government initially only published a brief statement from Mr Geidt when it announced his resignation on Wednesday, but came under pressure to reveal the reasons for his departure.

Mr Geidt seemed to suggest earlier this week that he was frustrated with the pressure he had been put under by the government in his role, and a spokesman for the prime minister said Mr Johnson would reflect on how best to fill the role.

Citing commercial sensitivity for not giving more details about the advice that was sought, the spokesman said it was a “relatively unusual situation” regarding an industry.

British trade experts said it was most probably related to steel tariffs.

The former holder of the office, Mr Alex Allan, resigned in 2020 after Mr Johnson refused to rule that Home Secretary Priti Patel had breached the ministerial code despite Mr Allan concluding she had "not consistently met the high standards expected of her".

"For the Prime Minister to lose one adviser of ministers' interest may be regarded as misfortune, but to lose two looks like carelessness," Tory MP William Wragg, a longstanding critic of Mr Johnson, told the House of Commons, quoting from Oscar Wilde.

Opposition Labour MP Fleur Anderson said the resignation of a second ethics adviser to the Prime Minister is a "badge of shame" for the government.