Cabinet secretary Simon Case has intervened in a row over claims of a smear campaign against Tory leadership favourite Liz Truss.
In a surprise statement he declared there is no truth in rumours that complaints have been made in Whitehall about Ms Truss’ behaviour as foreign secretary.
The cabinet secretary launched an investigation after unsubstantiated reports of alleged misconduct by Ms Truss swept Westminster.
In an apparent attempt to kill off the rumours he also denied a report that he had discussed with fellow mandarins “personal issues” surrounding Ms Truss.
The unsubstantiated claims about her alleged conduct have been repeated to the Independent by several senior Tories, including past and present members of the cabinet.
A statement issued yesterday on Mr Case’s behalf by the Cabinet Office said: “After hearing about media queries relating to the alleged existence of complaints about the foreign secretary’s conduct, the cabinet secretary sought confirmation from colleagues that there had been no formal or informal complaints raised with officials about the foreign secretary.
“We can confirm that neither the Foreign Office nor the Cabinet Office have received any such complaints. Claims that the cabinet secretary has discussed with colleagues ’personal issues’ surrounding Ms Truss are not true.”
Asked directly by the Independent to comment, Mr Case declined to respond.
A spokesperson for Ms Truss told the Independent: “To suggest or report that complaints have been made about the foreign secretary is untrue and false.”
Privately, her team are furious at his intervention.
The cabinet secretary’s statement comes after mounting Tory concern at the acrimonious personal battle between Ms Truss and Mr Sunak.
Mr Sunak has branded her economic policies as “socialist” and mocked her for having previously been a Lib Dem and a “Remainer”.
Some of his supporters say his only chance of overtaking her apparent commanding lead among Tory members is to launch an all out political assault.
For her part, Ms Truss has derided “managerialist” Mr Sunak and vowed to rip up his economic policies.
Her allies reportedly claimed last week that Mr Sunak’s supporters planned to use “dirty tricks” to undermine her: his supporters claim he is the victim of a bid by Ms Truss’ backers to portray him as a “traitor” for resigning as chancellor, triggering Boris Johnson’s downfall.
Both candidates’ camps deny using “dirty tricks.”
It is not the first time Mr Case has been dragged into the Conservative leadership contest.
On Wednesday he launched an inquiry into claims that civil servants had leaked information to damage Penny Mordaunt, narrowly beaten by Ms Truss in the last round of voting by Tory MPs.
In a letter to Ms Mordaunt cheerleader and ex cabinet minister David Davis, Mr Case said he had made it “very clear” to staff it was ‘paramount that public resources are not used to support leadership campaigns’ during the contest.
He added “unauthorised disclosure of government information to the media is clearly inappropriate.”
Friends of Ms Mordaunt say she was targeted with “baseless smears that she is pro trans, lazy and dim.”
On Friday The Times newspaper said Mr Case is set to offer to resign as cabinet secretary regardless of whether Mr Sunak or Ms Truss wins, unless they declare full confidence in him.
Mr Case, 43, has faced claims that he is ”too close” to Mr Johnson, who made him the youngest ever head of the civil service in 2020 in the face of criticism that he “lacked experience.”
Mr Case was put in charge of the official inquiry into the Partygate scandal - but had to recuse himself after reports of a gathering in his own No 10 private office.
