“We have learned that senior civil servants involved have instructed their lawyers that if the judge makes a reinstatement order, they would deliberately breach that order,” Simeon Spencer, a partner at Spencer Lufia, told CSW.
Owen was sacked last year after what the Treasury called an “irretrievable breakdown of trust”, said Spencer. However, Owen holds that the real reason for his removal was because he had reported an unauthorised change of advice over tax policy in the 2011 Budget, which was in breach of the civil service code – something that “ruffled feathers and caused embarrassment,” according to his solicitor.
CSW approached the Treasury, but it has refused to comment while the tribunal is ongoing.