By telling the appointments watchdog of his new position as a Daily Mail columnist barely 30 minutes before to the disclosure to the public, Boris Johnson has been charged with breaking a “clear breach” of the ministerial rules.
In a letter sent to the former prime minister on Friday, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments demanded an explanation about the most recent allegations that he had violated the norms expected of an official.
A spokeswoman for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) said: “The ministerial code states that ministers must ensure that no new appointments are announced, or taken up, before the committee has been able to provide its advice.
“An application received 30 mins before an appointment is announced is a clear breach.
“We have written to Mr Johnson for an explanation and will publish correspondence in due course, in line with our policy of transparency.”
