McGuinness on Gordon's 'totally legal' appointment

Opposition politicians have accused Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness of breaching due process with David Gordon's appointment

The Deputy First Minister has rejected opposition complaints about the appointment of David Gordon as Executive press secretary.

Martin McGuinness said the opposition was unhappy the former BBC journalist would be communicating the Executive's good work.

He said the Executive was within its rights not to advertise the role.

"The position was dealt with in a way that was absolutely and totally legal," said the Sinn Féin MLA.

Newsletter journalist Sam McBride tweeted about the 'the secret change to the law' that allowed the first ministers to avoid advertising David Gordon's job

Mr Gordon was until last week the editor of the BBC's The Nolan Show.

Opposition politicians have expressed concern about the use of a special legal procedure known as the Royal Prerogative used by the first and deputy first ministers to appoint him.

The Newsletter discovered the law was changed using the highly unusual procedure to enable the post to be filled without being advertised.

'Contrived process'

Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt, who is the leader of the Opposition at the Northern Ireland Assembly, told The Nolan Show he was concerned about the process that was used to appoint Mr Gordon.

Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), asked "how and why the first ministers thought it correct to arrogantly and in secret change the law".

"The first minsters abused royal prerogative powers to change the law," he said.

Mr Gordon said he could not comment on the issue.

The method used to hire him has raised questions from serving and former public appointments commissioners.

The current public appointments commissioner Judena Leslie has written to the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service over the appointment, saying: "It is in the public interest that the principles of openness and transparency are adhered to."

'trying to throw dirt'

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Executive Office said last week: "It is normal practice in politics in London and Dublin as well as other devolved governments for ministers to select the people who provide them specialist communications advice.

David Gordon (centre) is an experienced journalist who edited the BBC's Nolan Show and also worked for the Belfast Telegraph

"Those trying to throw dirt know that very well.

"The appointment of the executive press secretary is in full accordance with the powers at the disposal of the first minister and deputy first minister and they make this Order under the powers conferred on them by section 23 (3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998."

Mr Gordon is also a former Belfast Telegraph journalist, and following his appointment on Tuesday, the first and deputy first ministers said they wanted him to provide them with expert advice and spearhead the communication of Stormont's policies.