What's happened
Rishi Sunak is accused of using government resources for party political purposes by featuring a photograph taken by a taxpayer-funded Downing Street civil servant on the front page of the Tory Party agenda.
Why it matters
The accusation of breaching the ministerial code raises concerns about the impartiality of the civil service and the appropriate use of government resources for party political purposes.
What the papers say
The Independent says that Labour has accused Rishi Sunak of breaching the ministerial code by using a photograph taken by a taxpayer-funded Downing Street civil servant to promote the Conservative Party conference. The Times reports that the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, has been warned by Labour about the risk to the impartiality of the civil service after Sunak used a lectern with the party conference slogan for a net-zero announcement. The Mirror highlights calls for an investigation into Sunak's use of an official government building for political campaign purposes, in breach of the rules.
How we got here
The controversy arises from Rishi Sunak's use of a photograph taken during the Prime Minister's visit to San Diego, which features him and was used on the front page of the Tory Party agenda. The use of government resources for party political purposes is prohibited by the ministerial code and the civil service code.
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The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, and also known colloquially as the Tories, Tory Party, or simply the Conservatives, is a political party in the United Kingdom.
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