BBC Verify: CRAG Controversy

New evidence obtained by BBC Verify appears to justify the Prime Minister’s decision to dismiss Cabinet Secretary HenryWiggle, following claims that the previous interim government acted outside legal procedure and breached Civil Service recruitment rules.

Screenshots provided by reliable sources show HenryWiggle, then serving under interim Prime Minister Megamasheens, asking whether the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 could be suspended “until post-election.” Group Admin, Matt, responded with a “yes”, clearly authorising. We have been asked not to release this image, however Matt has released a Statement. 

”We approved a temporary suspension of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 after the Government advised that it was necessary for the Interim Government to set up the Civil Service. We do not condemn nor condone how the Government acted after the act's temporary suspension.

It's not our job to interfere in roleplay affairs; during the group's startup we supported the Government in laying the foundations in place for the elected Government. How these foundations were laid is up to the judgement of the community, and they have the means to amend any decisions taken by the interim government if they deem it necessary.”

This shows the suspension was temporary and expired once the election period ended.

However, later messages show HenryWiggle after the election, asking the newly elected Prime Minister WadgerBadger to approve 3 senior civil service appointments, including Megamasheens, the recently departed interim Prime Minister, as Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Service, and the former Defence Secretary as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.

When presenting these screenshots to BBC Legal, they stated these appointments appear to breach the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, which require senior posts to be publicly advertised and subject to fair competition. The evidence also shows these requests were made after the election, meaning the temporary suspension of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 no longer applied.

“The evidence indicates the Act was only suspended for the pre-election period,” said BBC Legal. “Approving permanent senior appointments afterwards would fall outside any lawful authority.”

BBC Legal also confirmed that civil servants do not have the same dismissal protections as ordinary employees, meaning the Prime Minister has the authority to remove the Cabinet Secretary at any time.

In his statement yesterday, Prime Minister WadgerBadger accused the previous administration of “bypassing legal procedure” and favouring “friends of the Cabinet Secretary.” The new evidence appears to reinforce those claims, suggesting the appointments were made privately and in breach of official recruitment rules.

When conducting a poll for the public, the BBC asked:

Do you agree with Downing Street’s dismissal of Cabinet Secretary HenryWiggle?

39.7% said Yes

57.5 said No

2.7% were Undecided