A fresh row has broken out about Sue Gray's appointment as Keir Starmer's chief of staff after a probe found she broke civil service rules.
The Partygate investigator was last week cleared to start her new job in September - but today a minister announced she'd had "undeclared contact" with Labour before quitting.
A Cabinet Office investigation ruled she had broken the civil service code through her contact with the party ahead of her resignation in March.
But Labour dismissed the finding as "Mickey Mouse nonsense" and a "political stunt" by the Tories.
It follows months of controversy over the appointment, which was announced in March.
Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin said: "This process, led by the Civil Service, found that the Civil Service code was prima facie broken as a result of the undeclared contact between Ms Gray and the Leader of the Opposition.
"The rules and guidance that govern the conduct of civil servants are clear and transparent. It is deeply unfortunate that events have transpired in this way."
He said that Ms Gray was given the opportunity to make representations, but chose not to do so.
A Labour spokesperson said: "This statement is a political stunt by a Tory government out of ideas and out of road."
The spokesman claimed "it says everything you need to know about the Tories that they have spent weeks wasting time on this Mickey Mouse nonsense" while "refusing to investigate" groping allegations against former London mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski.
Mr Korski, a former Downing Street adviser under David Cameron's tenure, withdrew from the London mayoral race after it was alleged he groped a TV producer in No 10 a decade ago.
The Cabinet Office has ruled out investigating the claims, which Mr Korski "categorically" denies, made by Daisy Goodwin.
On Friday the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) recommended that Ms Gray have a six-month cooling-off period, starting from the day she quit in March.
It means she can start her new role in the autumn.
According to evidence handed to Acoba, Mr Starmer raised the possibility of Ms Gray joining his team when he called her in late October 2022.
She told the committee she was "open to such a possibility" but there was no formal job offer until March 2 - the day she resigned.
It sparked a backlash from the Tory benches, with Ms Gray having previously carried out an investigation into Downing Street parties under Boris Johnson.
Her final role was as second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
In a ruling last week Acoba said it found "no evidence" that Ms Gray’s "decision making or ability to remain impartial was impaired whilst she remained in her Civil Service role".
Mr Starmer said Labour had "followed the process and accept their advice".
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