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| The difference between Facts, Project Facts and Royal Facts | The difference between Facts, Project Facts and Royal Facts |
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| Project Fact is catching on. Sort of. Sir Jeremy Heywood has always preferred to keep daylight at arm’s length, so to be dragged in front of a select committee two days running to explain his guidance to the civil service in dealing with ministers campaigning for Britain to leave the EU was testing more than just his patience. A third day might have seen the head of the civil service turn to dust. | Project Fact is catching on. Sort of. Sir Jeremy Heywood has always preferred to keep daylight at arm’s length, so to be dragged in front of a select committee two days running to explain his guidance to the civil service in dealing with ministers campaigning for Britain to leave the EU was testing more than just his patience. A third day might have seen the head of the civil service turn to dust. |
| On Monday it had been the public accounts committee; on Tuesday it was the public administration and constitutional affairs committee. “If we have clarity,” observed the committee chair, Bernard Jenkin, one of Brexit’s most vocal enthusiasts, “then what does a muddle look like?” Heywood flushed, his expression an unhealthy mix of irritation and anxiety. There was something badly wrong. He’s the one that asks questions, not answers them, so he did what he always does in such situations. He did his best not to answer them. | |
| The whole row was a fuss about nothing, he insisted. His guidance had been perfectly clear and followed the precedent of the 1975 referendum; the Q&A sheet that he had also provided had just been an interpretation of his own briefing letter. If there were any discrepancies, then it was because the Q&A had been dashed off in a bit of a hurry. There was absolutely no question of anyone being denied anything; ministers would get the usual full limousine service at all times other than when they were preparing a briefing or speech against government policy. Then the taps would be turned off. | The whole row was a fuss about nothing, he insisted. His guidance had been perfectly clear and followed the precedent of the 1975 referendum; the Q&A sheet that he had also provided had just been an interpretation of his own briefing letter. If there were any discrepancies, then it was because the Q&A had been dashed off in a bit of a hurry. There was absolutely no question of anyone being denied anything; ministers would get the usual full limousine service at all times other than when they were preparing a briefing or speech against government policy. Then the taps would be turned off. |
| Related: A manifesto for informed debate on the Brexit question | Letters | Related: A manifesto for informed debate on the Brexit question | Letters |
| Jenkin and the other Brexit campaigners appeared disconcerted by this. They had come expecting a fight and now they were heading for an early bath. “So you’re saying that ministers will be given full access to facts and statistics at all times,” said an incredulous Cheryl Gillan. “Of course,” said Heywood, quickly shuffling a briefing paper on the difference between Facts and Project Facts to the bottom of his pile. | |
| Facts were any old dreary bit of information that even someone as dim as Iain Duncan Smith could reasonably be expected to find out for himself. Project Facts were those which were best left to those on the side of the angels. If IDS did manage to get his grubby little mitts on any Project Facts then so be it, but there was nothing to be gained by proactively providing him with information that he wasn’t properly able to understand. What the committee had to accept was that all he had ever wanted to do was to save ministers from themselves. | Facts were any old dreary bit of information that even someone as dim as Iain Duncan Smith could reasonably be expected to find out for himself. Project Facts were those which were best left to those on the side of the angels. If IDS did manage to get his grubby little mitts on any Project Facts then so be it, but there was nothing to be gained by proactively providing him with information that he wasn’t properly able to understand. What the committee had to accept was that all he had ever wanted to do was to save ministers from themselves. |
| Just as the committee was heading towards a philosophy seminar on Facts, Project Facts and the Meta Facts that fell somewhere in between the two, Labour’s Paul Flynn, another eurosceptic, brought up a different category of Facts. Royal Facts. Had the government and the civil service put Prince William up to making a pro-EU speech? Heywood demurred. Royal Facts were of a higher order than even Project Facts. Royal Facts cost far more than just lives: Royal Facts cost knighthoods and peerages. There’s going to be a lot of disappointed politicians on this select committee. | Just as the committee was heading towards a philosophy seminar on Facts, Project Facts and the Meta Facts that fell somewhere in between the two, Labour’s Paul Flynn, another eurosceptic, brought up a different category of Facts. Royal Facts. Had the government and the civil service put Prince William up to making a pro-EU speech? Heywood demurred. Royal Facts were of a higher order than even Project Facts. Royal Facts cost far more than just lives: Royal Facts cost knighthoods and peerages. There’s going to be a lot of disappointed politicians on this select committee. |
| Kate Hoey, yet another EU hater, decided to change the subject. Who would decide if the civil service code had been broken? Heywood looked at her with pity. He would, obviously. Though the prime minister might – at a push – get a bit of a look-in. And how would offenders be punished? “I don’t want to speculate on that,” Heywood said, his mind turning to exquisite forms of torture. Just wait till some poor sod from the meteorological office gives Chris Grayling the five-day weather forecast for Berlin ... | Kate Hoey, yet another EU hater, decided to change the subject. Who would decide if the civil service code had been broken? Heywood looked at her with pity. He would, obviously. Though the prime minister might – at a push – get a bit of a look-in. And how would offenders be punished? “I don’t want to speculate on that,” Heywood said, his mind turning to exquisite forms of torture. Just wait till some poor sod from the meteorological office gives Chris Grayling the five-day weather forecast for Berlin ... |
| “I’m an approachable kind of guy,” said the least approachable guy in Whitehall. “There are no conspiracies or by-passes here. There’s nothing to see. Move on.” Jenkin appeared vaguely reassured. Fact and Project Fact had met for the first time. Both had blinked. | “I’m an approachable kind of guy,” said the least approachable guy in Whitehall. “There are no conspiracies or by-passes here. There’s nothing to see. Move on.” Jenkin appeared vaguely reassured. Fact and Project Fact had met for the first time. Both had blinked. |