Blair to cut powers of special advisers

Labour's army of special advisers will be curbed by Tony Blair today in a new attempt to shed the Government's image of spin.

The move comes two years to the day after former aide Jo Moore caused outrage by saying September 11 was "a good day to bury bad news".

A new code of conduct will forbid special advisers from trying to take on executive powers and ban them from attempting to undermine the impartiality of civil servants.

But Mr Blair is expected to reject calls to strip his most powerful political aide, chief-ofstaff Jonathan Powell, of special powers to give orders to civil servants across Whitehall.

The moves come in an official response to a report by the Wicks Committee on Standards in Public Life, which criticised the growing powers of special advisers - Labour Party officials who work alongside regular civil servants.

Under Mr Blair, the number of such aides has doubled, leading to accusations that officials were bullied into putting a favourable gloss on the Government.

The Wicks report was commissioned as a direct result of the Moore affair, which led to her resignation and helped wreck the career of her boss, Stephen Byers.

Among other reforms, the Government will concede that some allegations of sleaze involving ministers might in future be investigated by impartial outsiders. At present they are handled by senior civil servants, usually in the same department, leading to claims of cover-ups.

And an independent adviser will be appointed to counsel ministers if their personal financial interests conflict with their ministerial duties.