Spin memo row duo quit

Spin doctor Jo Moore and transport department press chief Martin Sixsmith have both quit their jobs.

The double resignation came shortly after Downing Street called on Transport Secretary Stephen Byers to get the continuing Whitehall spin row "sorted out".

It is clear that there has been a breakdown of trust within the department. This could not be allowed to continue

Stephen Byers

Ms Moore had faced widespread calls for her to quit since sending an e-mail as New York's twin towers burned, suggesting that 11 September was a good day to "bury" bad news.

She eventually went along with her boss at the end of two days of leaks that had brought into the open the level of in-fighting among officials in the transport department.

The problem was highlighted in Ms Moore's resignation letter to Mr Byers, which said: "Clearly there are some individuals in the department who are not prepared to work with me and are even prepared to invent stories about me as they have done this week."

E-mail rebuke

The row was sparked by newspaper reports that Mr Sixsmith rebuked Ms Moore in an e-mail for planning to release bad rail figures on the day of Princess Margaret's funeral.

Downing Street initially said the e-mail rebuke did not exist but performed a U-turn on Thursday afternoon after its existence was confirmed.

It is perfectly clear that Stephen Byers cannot run his own office, let alone a transport network. He should go

Theresa May
Tory transport spokeswoman

Tony Blair's official spokesman was furious at having to contradict his earlier statement and at the way the discussions had been "spun and twisted" in leaks to the media.

The Conservatives reacted to the departures by calling for Mr Byers to quit as well.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa May said: "The judgment of Stephen Byers was already in question after he stood by Jo Moore after the e-mail of September 11 and it would be wrong for him to survive when both of his appointments have had to go.

"It is perfectly clear that Stephen Byers cannot run his own office, let alone a transport network. He should go."

'No finger of blame'

In a statement released after the news of the double departure, Mr Byers said the two had done "the right thing".

Mr Byers said: "It is clear that there has been a breakdown of trust within the department. This could not be allowed to continue.

Sixsmith branded the row a "distraction"

"Both Martin Sixsmith and Jo Moore have done the right thing by offering their resignations.

"The department faces major challenges to deliver our ambitious programme. It will need the undivided attention of ministers and civil servants.

"I believe that, as a result of these resignations, we shall be in a far stronger position to meet these challenges in the months and years ahead."

The e-mail at the centre of the row was sent by Mr Sixsmith to Mr Byers and copied to Ms Moore and an unnamed official.

Staff in all government press offices had been ordered by the head of the government's information and communications service not to air their complaints about ministers' spin doctors in the media.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Sixsmith said the whole story was "complete nonsense and worse than that a distraction".