The public administration select committee, that scrutinises Whitehall, yesterday published a further report on the “payroll vote” – Ministers and unpaid Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs) who are expected to support the government line or resign. The Committee Chair, Patrick Jenkin, Conservative MP for for Harwich and North Essex, did not mince his words, talking of the Government being “patronage-driven” and “spending public money to buy loyalty“, after they rejected the Committee’s earlier advice. Continue reading →