Senior civil servants have expressed concern at Tony Blair’s
decision to appear in a cinema ad promoting teaching as a
profession.
Whitehall officials believe the Prime Minister may have broken the rules
banning party political advertising by appearing in Delaney Fletcher
Bozell’s work for the Government’s Teacher Training Agency (Campaign,
last week).
When the House of Commons returns from its summer break next week, the
Conservative Party is expected to challenge Blair over his cameo
appearance in which he joined sports and show-business celebrities
naming their favourite teachers.
Tories claim the ad breaches the rule that dictates: ’Image building,
whether explicit or implied, and whether of Government or minister, is
not acceptable.’
Privately, senior civil servants agree. ’I cannot see how it doesn’t
break the rules,’ said one. ’To spend pounds 1.5 million to promote the
Prime Minister as a celebrity is unprecedented. Is it really a proper
use of public money?’
He claimed officials were reluctant to challenge ministers following the
dismissal or departure of several senior press officers in Government
departments. ’The civil service is caught in the glare of the
headlines,’ he said. ’People are worried that the Government feels it
can do what it likes.’
Another Whitehall official involved in campaigns said: ’A lot of civil
servants are surprised by this.’
Blair’s aides dismissed the criticism and insisted no objections had
been raised. One said: ’The commercial does not promote the Prime
Minister; it is a positive campaign to raise the status of teaching as a
profession. There is nothing politically controversial about that.’
