THE UNITED Kingdom’s top civil servant, cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell, has denied that he ever warned British prime minister Gordon Brown about his treatment of staff in Downing Street staff.
Sir Gus has insisted that he never raised concerns with the prime minister about “bullying or intimidatory” behaviour.
The allegations about Mr Brown's conduct are contained in a new book by Observerjournalist Andrew Rawnsley, which has provoked the fury of both Mr Brown and his allies, such as business secretary Peter Mandelson.
Concerned that the issue could run out of control with just weeks to go before the general election, the Labour Party yesterday opted for co-ordinated, full-scale attacks upon those making the allegations.
Describing the controversy as “a Tory smear”, Lord Mandelson yesterday said: “We’ve got a country to run, that’s what’s important to us. Nobody bullies, nobody tolerates bullying in this government, in any part of this government, period, zero, and that’s it, okay?
“I assumed this was a storm in a teacup manufactured by someone who wanted to get some good headlines for his book. It now appears more likely a political operation directed at the prime minister personally,” he said.
However, the biggest boost came from the cabinet secretary’s decision to reject Mr Rawnsley’s key charge – that he warned Mr Brown to behave – last evening, following two earlier, less categoric statements.
In a statement last night, No 10 said: “[Mr Rawnsley] would like to make clear that he has never raised concerns with the prime minister about him acting in a bullying or intimidatory manner in relation to No 10 staff, let alone giving him any sort of verbal warning.”
Both Conservative Party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg had both earlier called for an inquiry into the allegations, saying that it was important that no official had to work “in a climate of fear”.
However, the cabinet secretary, who appears before a House of Commons committee on other business tomorrow, dismissed the inquiry calls, saying that one is not necessary.
The Rawnsley allegations were given added fuel by the decision of the National Bullying Helpline to say on Sunday that it had been contacted by a number of No 10 officials who were unhappy with the way that they had been treated.
Last night, the founder of the helpline, Christine Pratt, was herself under attack as up to four of the helpline’s patrons, including former Tory minister Ann Widdicombe, quit in protest, unhappy that Ms Pratt breached the confidentiality of people contacting the organisation.
Secondly, Ms Pratt, who denied that she was acting on behalf of the Conservatives, faced accusations that the helpline had encouraged callers to contact a human resources company run by her husband.
Last night, TV presenter Sarah Cawood joined Prof Gary Cooper in quitting the National Bullying Helpline board: “Confidential phone calls were made public, I feel it is no longer a campaign with which I would like my name to be associated,” she said.
The Charity Commission, which regulates the helpline’s activities, has already said that it will contact Ms Pratt for an explanation of her conduct, on foot of several complaints received after her television interviews on Sunday.