Jonathan Djanogly, Justice Minister, MP for Huntingdon and former SJ Berwin partner, has admitted employing private investigators to quiz his Conservative colleagues to find out what they thought about him.
Djanogly instructedprivate dicks "intelligence gathering organisation" Morris Chase International to conduct an undercover operation, posing as newspaper journalists. Their brief was to find out who leaked information about his expenses claims and to establish whether his colleagues rated him as a politician, according to a report in The Telegraph.
And so Djanogly shelled out over £5,000 for the privilege of hearing that local party aides thought he was a "poor politician". And that they also reckoned he had been less than open over his expenses claims - through which he trousered £13,000 of tax payers' money for a cleaner who was also au pair to his children.
Whilst admitting that he may have over-reacted in instructing private detectives, Djanogly has defended himself saying "following a series of malicious allegations made against me in newspapers last year, I felt I had to act to find out who was spreading these untrue stories....I was extremely upset that my private family life had been invaded".
Downing Street appears to be standing by Djanogly, sort of, saying that "the PM will judge him on his performance as a minister". Although given his colleagues' views of his political skills, that may not be the best news for him.
Tip Off ROF
Djanogly instructed
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A Morris Chase sleuth working undercover yesterday |
And so Djanogly shelled out over £5,000 for the privilege of hearing that local party aides thought he was a "poor politician". And that they also reckoned he had been less than open over his expenses claims - through which he trousered £13,000 of tax payers' money for a cleaner who was also au pair to his children.
Whilst admitting that he may have over-reacted in instructing private detectives, Djanogly has defended himself saying "following a series of malicious allegations made against me in newspapers last year, I felt I had to act to find out who was spreading these untrue stories....I was extremely upset that my private family life had been invaded".
Downing Street appears to be standing by Djanogly, sort of, saying that "the PM will judge him on his performance as a minister". Although given his colleagues' views of his political skills, that may not be the best news for him.