Her behaviour was described to me as an almost textbook case of bullying

Jonathan Baume

Ms Moore, who quit her job as Transport Secretary Stephen Byers' special adviser earlier this month, became notorious after circulating a memo that said 11 September was a good day to bury bad news.

She, along with former department of transport director of communications Martin Sixsmith, both lost their jobs as a result of the so-called 'Spingate' affair.

Mr Baume - who represents Mr Sixsmith - told MPs: "My perception is that Jo Moore was forceful and aggressive to the point that she bullied and victimised civil servants both in the press and related policy areas.

"Her behaviour was described to me as an almost textbook case of bullying.

"She appeared ... to have no grasp of the concept of the political impartiality of the Civil Service or if she did she ignored it.

"It was completely unacceptable."

But civil servants did not complain in the normal way because Ms Moore was perceived to have the "absolute loyalty and trust" of Mr Byers.

"Instead, people voted with their feet, seeking transfers to other parts of the department, elsewhere in the civil service or simply left."

Earlier in his evidence to the committee, the head of the government information service, Mike Granatt, refused to comment on the specifics surrounding the departure of Mr Sixsmith, saying his resignation was a matter for the department concerned.

He added that the problems in the DTLR were local to that department.

But he added: "If it was necessary to look across the whole system because I felt it was a widespread, endemic problem, then clearly that is something on which I would take a view.

Byers got the backing of Labour MPs

"I think it is reasonable to point out that what we are seeing at DTLR is not happening across the rest of service."

The hearing comes after Tony Blair was forced to defend his decision to back Mr Byers.

Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith attacked Mr Blair on Wednesday for "rolling out the red carpet" for Mr Byers just minutes after he expressed "regret" for giving an apparently misleading answer on his role in the affair.

Impartiality calls

In Wednesday's Commons exchange, Mr Blair said Mr Byers had made an "absolutely full statement" over the affair, which centres on whether Mr Sixsmith resigned as transport press chief.

Mr Blair challenged Conservative leader over what he said were the real issues of getting the rail system running after a botched Tory privatisation.

The transport secretary says Mr Sixsmith resigned from his post but the former press chief said he was forced out because Mr Byers decided both he and Ms Moore should go together.

Duncan Smith clashed with Blair over the spin row

Mr Granatt was involved in trying to broker a compromise deal for Mr Sixsmith, friends of the transport press chief are reported as saying.

Earlier in the row, Mr Granatt wrote a firm letter to Mr Sixsmith, copied to other department press chiefs, stressing that civil servants should not leak information.

That warning came after newspaper reports of an email sent by Mr Sixsmith saying that no announcements should be made on the day of Princess Margaret's funeral.

Mr Sixsmith denies leaking the email or briefing against Ms Moore.

Apology

Mr Granatt wrote: "If a civil servant has a legitimate grievance, there are well-established procedures for raising it with the head of department or beyond.

"As has been said many times before, anyone who feels so strongly that they wish to act outside the Civil Service Code should do the honourable things and resign."

On Thursday, Commons leader Robin Cook apologised to MPs for misleading the House over aspects of the Martin Sixsmith affair.

On 14 February he denied there was any disagreement between Ms Moore and Mr Sixsmith. He also told MPs that the crucial email printed in the Mirror did not exist.

Mr Cook said he had spoken out on the basis of false information.