Pride that came before the minister's fall
The Willetts affair: Normally bright MP showed uncharacteristic stupidity and paid the price
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Pride was probably what caused the downfall of David Willetts, because he tried to argue his way out of the allegation that he had tried to fix a select committee inquiry report.
Labour and Tory members of the 11-man committee said if he had apologised, he would have been let off with a light reprimand, and his career would have been intact.
But it was a single word - "dissembled" - that sealed his fate.
When he read the report at 1.30pm in his office overlooking Whitehall in the Cabinet Office, he decided he had no option but to resign. He saw the Prime Minister at around 3pm. The ferocity of the report stunned MPs on all sides.
They queued at the vote office to get hold of the 60-page report. Within minutes, nearly 100 had been handed out. The "killer paragraph" - that in future the committee would take evidence on oath - was agreed at an early stage.
The Tories suggested that he should be charged with contempt of the House. Some Labour MPs suspected that it was put up to be knocked down, to let Mr Willetts off the hook. It was rejected on the ground that it was outside their remit.
But the fatal word "dissembled" was inserted at the end, on Monday night, in scenes of acrimony and high drama. Locked in disagreement in a committee room of the Commons, Labour MPs had suggested they should say they had found Mr Willetts's evidence to the committee unacceptable.
Quentin Davies, the Tory MP whose tenacious questioning of Mr Willetts in public session was blamed by ministers for inflicting the damage, suggested they should say they were concerned Mr Willetts should "dissemble" in his account.
Dissemble: v 1. conceal one's motives; talk or act hypocritically; 2. a/ disguise or conceal (a feeling, intention, act etc) b/ as dissembled adj.) simulated, pretended...
(Concise Oxford Dictionary)
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments