Lord Geidt letter says request from Boris Johnson put him in ‘odious position’

Ethics adviser who quit says PM asked him to consider matter that risked deliberate breach of ministerial code

• Read Lord Geidt's letter

Boris Johnson placed his ethics adviser in an impossible and odious" position by asking him to risk a deliberate and purposeful breach of the ministerial code", letters from the adviser show.

Johnson revealed in his reply that he had asked Christopher Geidt to consider plans by the government to continue some steel tariffs - a move that could break World Trade Organization terms - but hinted he was unsatisfied with the explanation.