Labour MP Chris Bryant has reported Defence Minister Andrew Robathan to Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell, alleging he broke the ministerial code.

Bryant said on Twitter last night that Robathan broke the code:

By briefing the Daily Telegraph before the House of Commons – and then pretending he hadn’t even though DT quoted him.

The issue relates to the Daily Telegraph publishing an exclusive on 14th May that ministers were planning to put the military covenant on the statute books.

The Defence ecretary Liam Fox eventually made a statement to the House of Commons on 16th May announcing the plans.

Chris Bryant raised the issue in the Commons, accusing Robathan of giving “on the record” quotations to The Daily Telegraph before announcing the policy to the Chamber.

Robathan denied the charge, claiming, “[Chris Bryant MP] will discover that what he has said is not in fact in any way correct”.

But Bryant returned back to the Daily Telegraph article, pointing out that it clearly referred to Andrew Robathan by name.

The full exchange is here.

Did Robathan not realise he was quoted in the article?

Chris Bryant said last night that Robathan had misled the House of Commons by denying he had briefed the Daily Telegraph in advance.

He has now written to the Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell with the allegation that Andrew Robathan MP has broken the ministerial code.

He is not alone either. Conservative minister Chris Grayling has been referred twice for politicised press releases regarding welfare cuts.

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