Do as we say, not as we do

I see that Cabinet Ministers Ed Balls and Shaun Woodward were "both driven in their ministerial cars from Downing Street to a Whitehall hotel. Their chauffeurs stayed outside while they attended the fundraising event and then drove them - separately - to the House of Commons, 300 yards away."

So they used Government cars for Labour party business, but then the Labour party are "the political wing of the British people", and all to save themselves a 3 minute walk.


Justine Greening, the Conservative MP for Putney, has written to Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell asking whether the pair have broken the ministerial code which states that ministers should always make "efficient and cost-effective" travel arrangements. The code adds that ministerial cars should not be used for party or private business "except where this is justified on security grounds".


We are told that "A spokesman for Mr Woodward said: "The Secretary of State was working on official papers and the use of a car is authorised under the ministerial code."

A spokesman for Mr Balls said: "The Secretary of State was using the official car because he was expecting to have to vote and was working on official documents."


They were both working on official documents during the 3 minute journey, does anyone believe that? Also why could they not share a car, are they too important, too grand for that?