The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Elizabeth Filkin, has accused senior civil servants and ministers of waging a whispering campaign against her. In an exclusive interview for this programme, she describes how pressure was brought to bear on her and witnesses during investigations into cabinet ministers.
The out-going Comissioner also says the importance of her post, which is being re-advertised, is being watered down and will make it difficult for her successor to investigate misconduct.
She is only the second ever Parliamentary Comissioner for Standards. Her departure comes shortly after the decision by a Commons Commission headed by the Speaker Michael Martin to re-advertise the post.
In her interview for this programme, she says hostile briefings and whispering campaigns started against her just a few months after she had taken up the job and before she had completed her first inquiry into Peter Mandelson. She blames senior politicians of all parties and civil servants for conducting the campaign.
But Elizabeth Filkin says she's most concerned about her successor. She says the decision to re-advertise the post and the way it was done has undermined the Commissioner's independence. And the plans to reduce the hours for the job by 25% will make it more difficult for her successor to conduct proper inquiries into allegations of sleaze.
Calls for a full inquiry into her allegations have come both from the Conservatives and the Father of the House, Tam Dalyell.
Click here to read Elizabeth Filkin's resignation letter
