Guido has been keeping tabs on Whitehall’s finest doing everything but tightening the purse strings since Labour’s much-trumpeted “crackdown” on spending. Co-conspirators will be unsurprised to learn that David Lammy’s department has been merrily splashing the cash…

On 1 July, the Foreign Secretary hosted a lavish “Summer Reception” at Lancaster House. A written parliamentary answer to Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden reveals the Foreign Office forked out a cool £49,069.88 on the soirée. This is despite Pat McFadden announcing back in March immediate “tighter new spending controls for hospitality” including a cut to the maximum spend on government procurement cards from £2,500 to £500, with anything above that needing Director General sign-off. Got to make it worth La

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