The Tories today are exposed as hypocrites after they desperately attempt to create a row about Keir Starmer’s bid to hire Sue Gray.
The government has sought to fling mud at Labour just two days before local elections over her appointment.
But the spotlight is now turned back on the Tories as it is revealed two-thirds of the ministers sitting around the Cabinet table attempted to rip up Westminster standards rules two years ago.
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Health Secretary Steve Barclay were among the Tories to trot through the voting lobbies in a bid to get Owen Paterson off the hook after he broke lobbying rules.
Mr Dowden today presented MPs with an update on the Cabinet Office investigation into the recruitment of Ms Gray, despite himself supporting the Tory bid to help Mr Paterson.
In total, 21 of the 32 ministers who currently attend Cabinet voted to prevent the immediate suspension of the ex-minister as part of an overhaul of rules on standards.
Mr Paterson breached lobbying restrictions while working for two firms that paid him more than £500,000.
The Tories eventually had to backtrack following a massive backlash.
A Labour source said: "Two thirds of Rishi Sunak’s top team wanted to rip up the rules when their mate was bang to rights for lobbying.
"Now they’re faking outrage in a hypocritical attempt to distract the public from their appalling record. If that’s the best the Tories have got two days before elections, it’s a sad indictment on them."
Mr Starmer revealed in March that he wanted to appoint Ms Gray as his chief-of-staff as Labour prepares for the possibility of entering government.
The senior civil servant produced the Partygate report into lockdown-busting parties in No10 during the coronavirus lockdown when Boris Johnson was PM.
Mr Starmer this morning warned the government was “trying to resurrect” a story about the former ethics chief as they don’t have anything to say about the cost of living crisis.
The Labour leader insisted he "had no discussions” with Ms Gray “while she was investigating Boris Johnson whatsoever”.
He told BBC Breakfast: "I'm confident she hasn't broken any of the rules. Whenever a senior civil servant leaves the Civil Service there is always a process that they have to go through, that is the process she is going through, quite rightly.
“The Government is trying to resurrect a story about Sue Gray, maybe because they don't want to talk about the cost-of-living crisis, which actually is the thing that most people are most concerned about."
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) is also reviewing the terms of her departure and new job offer.
It can set recommendations for when senior people leave government, including calling for a cooling-off period to avoid any conflict of interest.
The Civil Service Code stipulates that officials of Ms Gray's seniority must wait a minimum of three months before taking up outside employment.
But Acoba could recommend that it is a longer wait, with a maximum delay of up to two years.
Acoba does not have the power to block an appointment, however.
Labour has pledged to abide by any Acoba recommendation in relation to the hiring of Ms Gray.
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