A review of Government communications unveiled this week will seek input from both the regional and national press.

The move was announced by the Cabinet Office in a bid to answer criticism of a perceived “spin doctor” culture and allegations of politicisation of the Whitehall information service.

John Hipwood, London editor for the Shropshire Star and Wolverhampton Express and Star, will be taking part, as will Charles Reiss, political editor of the Evening Standard.

Broadcasters, the PR industry and news agencies will also be represented.

The Commons watchdog Public Administration Committee called for an inquiry in the wake of the Jo Moore affair, when the special adviser to the then transport secretary Stephen Byers lost her job following the sending of the e-mail suggesting September 11 would be a good day to release “bad news”.

The Cabinet Office said: “The Government believes that it is now timely to consider from first principles the sort of service needed in the highly demanding and constantly changing media world of the 21st century to enable the Government to discharge its democratic duty to explain itself and hold an effective dialogue with the public.”

Public Administration Committee chairman MP Tony Wright said: “The Government has recognised that those who speak for ministers must have the public interest as their first priority.

“All of them, politically appointed or not, are servants of the public, and there must be no tolerance of those who pursue sectional interests and personal agendas.”

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