Boris Johnson Orders Independent Probe Into Cameron Lobbying Row
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Boris Johnson has ordered an independent review of David Cameron’s lobbying of the government on behalf of finance firm Greensill Capital.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson announced that City lawyer Nigel Boardman will lead a probe into links between the company and ministers, including personal approaches made by Cameron.
MPs have demanded answers after it emerged that the former premier had personally emailed and texted Chancellor Rishi Sunak and others to help Greensill win Whitehall contracts and financial roles.
Sunak is under huge political pressure for his admission that he sent a text to Cameron in which he said he had “pushed” Treasury officials to look at helping the firm with access to multi-million pound Covid support schemes.
Cameron broke his silence on the row on Sunday, saying he should have acted “through only the most formal of channels” rather than personally texting Sunak.
Johnson wants the new probe to be completed “promptly”, the spokesperson said.
“The Cabinet Office is commissioning an independent review on behalf of the prime minister to establish the development and use of Supply Chain Finance and associated activities in government, and the role Greensill played in those,” he said.
“It will also look at the way contracts were secured and how business representatives were engaged with government.
“The PM has called for the review to ensure government is completely transparent about such activities, and that the public can see for themselves if good value was secured for taxpayers money.
“This independent review will also look at how contracts were secured and how business representatives engaged with government. It will be led by legal expert Nigel Boardman, and the Cabinet Office will have probably set out for more formal details later on.”
After weeks of refusing to comment, Cameron issued a statement on Sunday to the PA news agency, in which he said that having “reflected on this at length” he accepts there are “important lessons to be learnt”.
On Monday morning, former PM Gordon Brown called for tougher rules to prevent ex ministers lobbying within government, claiming it “brings public service into disrepute”.
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