A Minister misleading the House is one of the most serious offences they can commit. If any Minister does so anything other than completely unintentionally, they should–and must–resign. So, when an accusation emerges that a Minister has done so it must be cleared up one way or the other.
On Saturday, The Times reported that Sir Tom McKillop, the former chairman of RBS, had written to the chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, John McFall, alleging that Lord Myners had been ‘told exactly how much’ Sir Fred Goodwin’s pension was worth. This, if true, contradict Miners’ statements (as recorded in the uncorrected transcript) to the Committee:
Now, I have no idea whether McKillop or Myners’ recollection is more accurate here. But the implication that a Minister has misled the House is now in the public domain. Both for the authority of Parliament and, very possibly out of fairness to Miners, a verdict must be reached.
The only way that can happen is if the Select Committee calls both men back to give evidence on this point. As of today, tthe Committee had no plans to do so. If McFall does fail to ask them both to appear to clarify this point, it will further encourage cynicism about the independence–or otherwise–of select committees.
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