Blair in row over Jo Moore pay-off

Tony Blair was at the centre of a fresh storm today over a pay-off for Stephen Byers's disgraced spin doctor, Jo Moore.

Downing Street refused to give any details of whether Ms Moore, 38, had received a severance payment and, in an astonishing move, attempted to veto any comment about it at all.

Challenged over the fact that any such pay-outs involve taxpayers' money, Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "Individual civil servants' pay and conditions is not a fit subject for media speculation."

The comments came as Downing Street faced a torrent of further questions over the scandal of resignations at Mr Byers's department which has seen the transport secretary forced to apologise for having lied to the public over his role in the affair. The spokesman also attempted to block attempts to establish what progress was being made with an investigation into civil servants at the transport department who set out, according to Number 10, to "destroy" Mr Byers.

Mr Blair is facing intense criticism for clinging on to the beleaguered transport secretary. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy led the attack, accusing Mr Byers of acting in a "quite improper" fashion by using a Commons statement for "self-vindication".

Opposition leader Iain Duncan Smith was also set to put the Prime Minister on the spot at Question Time this afternoon after Mr Blair gave Mr Byers an ostentatious show of support by inviting both him and his department's Permanent Secretary, Sir Richard Mottram, to No10 last night.

Meanwhile, Mr Byers and Downing Street still faced a raft of unanswered questions.

How many times did Stephen Byers lie to the public?

His grudging apology in the Commons yesterday covered only one departure from the truth. He repeatedly claimed on ITV's Dimbleby programme on Sunday that he was not involved in the negotiations over Mr Sixsmith's departure, because it was a "personnel matter" for Sir Richard Mottram. Yesterday he told MPs: "If my answers on the programme gave the impression that I did not put forward a view, or make clear my views to others inside and outside the department, that is obviously something I regret."

Did Stephen Byers block Mr Sixsmith from finding another civil service job?

Mr Sixsmith claims that when he was negotiating to move to a post in another department, he was scuppered by Mr Byers. Mr Byers admitted he had put forward the view that there should be no new job for Mr Sixsmith, but also made the unlikely claim that he had no power to stop it.

Did Mr Byers have a right to block Mr Sixsmith from moving to another post?

Mr Byers is bound by the ministerial code, which states he has "a duty to ensure that influence over appointments is not abused for partisan purposes". However, if he believed Mr Sixsmith broke the rules he could decree he breached his contract - blocking him from new work in the civil service.

Is Mr Sixsmith still employed at the Department of Transport?

There is no way that the Government can continue with its claim that Mr Sixsmith resigned. Mr Byers can pin the blame on Sir Richard, but the problem persists.

Did Mr Byers demand a "double resignation" of both Jo Moore and Mr Sixsmith?

It is clear that Mr Byers thought they both had to go at the same time, but there is disagreement over whether he made Mr Sixsmith's departure a condition of getting rid of Ms Moore.

Will there be more scalps at the Transport Department?

Mr Byers said yesterday an inquiry was under way to root out any others in the press office who helped Mr Sixsmith in his briefing against Ms Moore.

Did Jo Moore try to "bury" bad news on the day of Princess Margaret's funeral?

The original charge remains unproven. She suggested releasing embarassing rail statistics on 15 February, but it is claimed no one at the original meeting realised this was the day of the funeral.

Can Mr Byers survive?

His short-term future appears safe. However, his credibility has been badly damaged.

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