Terror memo adviser faces new claims

Jo Moore has apologised for the notorious e-mail

Under-fire government special adviser Jo Moore is heading for fresh controversy after claims she broke the code of conduct governing her job.

Ms Moore, spin doctor to Transport Secretary Stephen Byers, sparked controversy after writing a memo hours after the 11 September terror attacks calling it a "good day" to bury "bad news".

My information from inside the civil service is this did happen and so something needs to be done about it

Committee chair Dr Tony Wright

Claims then emerged that she had tried to involve impartial senior civil servant Alun Evans in a smear campaign against London transport commissioner Bob Kiley.

The transport department has refused to comment on the case, but it is now claimed Ms Moore broke the code of conduct designed to separate the activities of political advisers and civil servants.

Dr Tony Wright, Labour chair of the powerful public administration committee watchdog, made the claim on Thursday after receiving information from Whitehall sources.

He was questioning Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at a public administration committee hearing designed to question him about his post-election role.

Investigation call

Mr Prescott was asked why the claims surrounding Ms Moore's alleged breach of the code of conduct had not been investigated.

Dr Wright added: "Of course, I don't know what went on, but my information from inside the civil service is this did happen and so something needs to be done about it."

As other MPs backed Dr Wright's stance, the deputy prime minister insisted only official complaints could trigger an investigation, not anonymous claims made through the media.

Dr Wright wants a Civil Service Act

He told Dr Wright: "I would be grateful for any information you could give me."

Mr Prescott and Cabinet Office colleague Lord Macdonald had to repeatedly defend the decision not to sack Ms Moore over her 11 September e-mail.

She has been "reprimanded" by Mr Byers and the department's most senior civil servant.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has described the memo as "horrible and wrong and stupid" but insisted it was not a grave enough mistake to end her career.

She also tried to douse the controversy with a personal apology, saying: "It is something I wish I'd never done and indeed find it difficult to believe I did."

'Unethical behaviour'

But it had little effect, and by Thursday 57 Conservative MPs had signed a Commons motion describing her behaviour as "unethical", and calling Mr Byers to remove her "forthwith".

That view has been echoed by Dr Wright, who repeated his view that the remarks, amounting to "gross professional misconduct", were incompatible with the idea of public service.

Mr Prescott agreed the comments were "stupid" but he and Lord Macdonald insisted Mr Blair and Mr Byers were correct in deciding it was not a career-ending mistake.

And on Thursday night another senior Labour backbencher joined the call for Ms Moore to quit.

Donald Anderson, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told BBC 1's Question Time: "The honourable way would be for her to have resigned."

But Labour have accused the Tories of hypocrisy after shadow Commons leader Eric Forth wrote a memo on 14 September calling for a "trench warfare" approach to parliamentary tactics.