Power for all government 'spin' may go to Campbell
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Your support makes all the difference.Alastair Campbell could be given powers over the Government's entire "spin" operation under a review of the Whitehall press machine. Whether Downing Street's director of communications should overhaul public relations within every government department is one idea to be discussed by the independent inquiry.
Other possibilities are abolishing the Government Information and Communications Service, the arm of the Civil Service that runs Whitehall press offices, and integrating departmental press offices into ministers' private offices.
The proposals are thought to be among the ideas put forward in nearly 50 questions that form the detailed brief for the inquiry, launched in response to the spin row that precipitated the resignation of the former transport secretary Stephen Byers and concern over the Government's handling of the "Cheriegate" saga.
Ministers are determined to overcome Labour's reputation for "spin" and "control freakery", which was revived by the controversy over Cherie Blair's dealings with the convicted fraudster Peter Foster.
The inquiry, which comes five years after the last important review of government communications, will consider whether Downing Street should lead an ongoing review of departmental communication strategies, something that would extend still further the power of Number 10.
The inquiry will determine whether the fallout from Jo Moore's infamous e-mail urging press officers to "bury bad news" on 11 September 2001 was an isolated problem or symptomatic of a wider malaise within the Government Information Service.
It will investigate claims that government press offices have been politicised and examine the status of ministerial special advisers, raising the question of whether it is appropriate for advisers to brief the media when they are paid from public funds.
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