Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has issued a grovelling apology after saying the sleaze watchdog should lose her job.
The top Tory has written to standards commissioner Kathryn Stone after he publicly speculated about her future as the sleaze row engulfed the Government.
He provoked widespread outrage for saying it was "difficult to see what the future of the commissioner is” just hours before the Government was forced into a humiliating U-turn over its bid to rip up rules for MPs.
The highly controversial vote, which ministers initially dismissed as a "Westminster storm in a teacup", would also have paused a suspension for Owen Paterson, who would found to have repeatedly breached lobbying rules for MPs.
But the Government is now rowing back on its overhaul of the standards system, and Mr Paterson, who was lobbying on behalf of two private companies paying him £100,000-a-year, has resigned.
Writing to Ms Stone on Monday, Mr Kwarteng said: “Having seen how my remarks have been interpreted, and reflecting on them, I recognise that in answering the question that was posed to me I should have chosen my words more carefully.
“I did not mean to express doubt about your ability to discharge your role and I apologise for any upset or distress my choice of words may have caused.
“I recognise that it is incumbent on Ministers to adhere to the high standards of the Ministerial Code, including ensuring that our words are carefully chosen and that we treat others with consideration and respect.
“I therefore regret if the words I used on this occasion have given the impression of having fallen short of these high standards.”
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has demanded that Lord Geidt carries out an investigation, suggesting Mr Kwarteng’s comments could amount to bullying an official.
Hours before the Prime Minister U-turned on the bid to prevent Mr Paterson’s suspension, Mr Kwarteng was asked on Sky News whether he thought Ms Stone should resign.
“I think it’s difficult to see what the future of the commissioner is, given the fact that we’re reviewing the process, and we’re overturning and trying to reform this whole process, but it’s up to the commissioner to decide her position,” he replied.
Pushed on what he meant by “decide her position”, Mr Kwarteng said: “It’s up to her to do that. I mean, it’s up to anyone where they’ve made a judgment and people have sought to change that, to consider their position, that’s a natural thing, but I’m not saying she should resign.”
