Ex-officials criticise limited remit of Boris Johnson’s new standards adviser
April 29, 2021, 10:08 am

Ex-officials criticise limited remit of Boris Johnson’s new standards adviser

Christopher Geidt has been appointed as the prime minister’s adviser on ministerial standards.

Adviser cannot commission inquiries and PM retains power to exonerate himself and ministers

Boris Johnson will retain power to quash investigations and exonerate himself and ministers despite the appointment of a new standards adviser, it has been revealed, sparking high-level criticism from former top civil servants.

Those who told the Guardian it was improper for Johnson to control who is investigated included the former head of the civil service Bob Kerslake and the former government legal chief Jonathan Jones.

Labour’s Rachel Reeves said the advisor should have powers of investigate. “In our country, the police don’t require the permission of a thief to investigate a burglary,” the shadow Cabinet Office minister said. “The prime minister can’t be judge and jury on his ministers’ – or indeed his own – behaviour.”

Christopher Geidt, the former private secretary to the Queen who has been appointed as Johnson’s new adviser on ministerial standards, will be given some new powers but will not have the ability to commission his own inquiries.

Lord Geidt will immediately look into the controversy over payments for the renovation of Johnson’s Downing Street flat. The Electoral Commission has announced its own inquiry, saying there are “reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred”.

Johnson overruled recommendations from Jonathan Evans, the chair of the committee on standards in public life, who said the adviser should be given powers to launch their own investigation. Lord Evans wrote to the prime minister on Wednesday questioning why this power had not been included.

“We note that the adviser will still lack the authority to initiate investigations,” he wrote. “We will want to consider how far the new arrangements provide the degree of independence and transparency that the committee believes is necessary.”

Geidt replaces Sir Alex Allan after a gap of five months. Allan quit over Boris Johnson’s decision to stand by the home secretary, Priti Patel, after he investigated complaints of bullying made against her. The high court is expected to examine that decision after a case was brought by the FDA, the civil service union.

Jones, the government’s former head of legal who quit over concerns about the government’s intention to break international law last year, said Johnson had endorsed a ministerial code that said his government should uphold “the very highest standards of propriety … there must be no bullying and no harassment, no leaking, no misuse of taxpayer money and no actual or perceived conflicts of interest.”

He said the public now needed confidence that the code would respected, but the code has no legal status. “The problem is we can have no confidence that these standards are being enforced or that any action will be taken when they are breached,” he said. “Its enforcement depends purely on prime ministerial whim.”

Jones said there was “a strong case for creating a new ministerial code with legal force. This could include tighter rules on conflicts of interests, declaration of donations, use of public assets, and leaking.”

He said the commissioner must be given new powers to “initiate investigations, call for evidence, require the cooperation of witnesses, and publish findings and recommendations.”

Jones said the appointment and removal of ministers should ultimately remain with the prime minister, but a clear explanation should be given if the prime minister went against the advice, as Johnson did with Patel.

He said Geidt was an “excellent appointment” but suggested he would be constrained by the terms of reference of his role, which would not give “full independence or transparency. In particular he will have no power to launch investigations, nor to publish his findings. This is not sufficient to restore public confidence.”

Lord Kerslake, the former head of the civil service, said Johnson should adopt the full recommendations of the standards committee. “The fact that he has not will raise concerns for the prime minister whenever questions about a minister arise,” he said.

No 10 said Geidt would have new powers to suggest investigations to the prime minister in confidence, which would be a change to the remit of Allen who could only launch inquiries if tasked to do so by the prime minister.

But the prime minister’s official spokesperson said Johnson had concerns that an adviser with powers to independently launch inquiries could be drawn into an investigation with “trivial or vexatious complaints”.

Asked to confirm that Johnson could reject findings or block inquiries into his own personal conduct, the spokesperson said: “The prime minister will remain the ultimate arbiter of this.”

In his letter accepting the post, Geidt said he welcomed the moves to “stiffen the degree of independence of the post” and he looked forward to “playing a part in maintaining the integrity of the ministerial code”.

source: Jessica Elgot

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.