Top Civil Servant outed over false claims against the Government

The Foreign Office’s top civil servant has been forced to make a spectacular U-turn after he earlier said the UK’s decision to not take part in European Union schemes to secure equipment to combat coronavirus was “political.”

Sir Simon McDonald, made the false claim to the Commons foreign affairs committee on Tuesday.

However he later wrote to the committee to “clarify” the point and said “due to a misunderstanding” he “inadvertently and wrongly” said ministers were briefed about the EU scheme and took a political decision not to participate.

Sir Simon reverted to the government’s defence that the scheme was not initially joined because of a “communication problem”.

He said: “We left the European Union on January 31,” echoing the initial reason Downing Street gave on why Britain was not involved.

Pressed by Labour MP Chris Bryant, who later called the situation a “copper bottomed scandal”, Sir Simon added: “All I can say is, as a matter of fact, we have not taken part.”

Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat asked the Foreign Office’s permanent under-secretary whether it was a political decision by ministers.

“It was a political decision,” Sir Simon replied.

But he later wrote in his letter, this point was “incorrect” and ministers were not briefed on what EU schemes were still open to the UK.

“Ministers were not briefed by our mission in Brussels about the scheme and a political decision was not taken on whether or not to participate,” he wrote.

“The facts of the situation are as previously set out.”

A government spokesperson said in response that “owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint procurements in response to the coronavirus pandemic”.