SF minister: I can do nothing about £92k DUP spad working for party

A Sinn Fein minister has said that there is nothing his department can do to recoup public money or investigate the activities of a DUP spad running swathes of the party while taxpayers were paying him £92,000 a year as a temporary civil servant.
By Sam McBride
Published 3rd Jun 2020, 21:31 BST
Updated 4th Jun 2020, 17:54 BST
Timothy Johnston has been the power behind the thrones of three DUP first ministersTimothy Johnston has been the power behind the thrones of three DUP first ministers
Timothy Johnston has been the power behind the thrones of three DUP first ministers

On Tuesday the News Letter revealed that powerful DUP backroom figure Timothy Johnston had described himself as the “line manager” for the party’s chief spin doctor, John Robinson, while working as a special advisor (spad) to the first minister in 2015.

That revelation emerged in new evidence published by the RHI Inquiry and followed leaked emails last year which gave an insight into how his power ranged across the DUP.

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They showed him approving everything from the design of election posters, to clearing election literature and party advertising, to handling quotations for the purchase of party equipment and even dealing with requests for holiday leave from staff in DUP headquarters.

The situation meant that the DUP had an unfair advantage over its rivals because taxpayers were funding its crucial backroom organiser when other parties had to fundraise to pay for such roles.

When asked earlier this week if it would repay the money which Mr Johnston – who is now its chief executive and has not returned as a spad, the DUP declined to comment.

When Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill’s department, The Executive Office, was asked about the issue, it said that it had no plans to ask for the money back.

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Yesterday the News Letter asked Finance Minister Conor Murphy whether he or his department would investigate what had gone on, attempt to establish whether other spads had been working for their parties while paid by taxpayers, and if it would attempt to recover the money for taxpayers.

In response, the department said: “As the individual concerned is no longer an NI Civil Service employee, the Department of Finance has no basis for investigating this matter.

“The Codes of Conduct for ministers, special advisors and civil servants have recently been strengthened and the Executive sub-committee for implementing the RHI report recommendations will be established soon.”

The News Letter asked The Executive Office’s accounting officer, Mark Browne – who must legally account for whether taxpayers’ money has been spent as intended – if he was satisfied with the expenditure and whether he would investigate what had gone on.

We received no response.

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Related topics:DUPConor MurphySinn Fein