David Cameron

David Cameron has hit back at claims Greensill Capital had been begging for access to the government-backed Covid loan scheme. Cameron said it was “nonsense” to say the finance firm has been “in difficulty” when he lobbed on its behalf. But Labour said the company, which later collapsed, had been “desperate for access to taxpayer […]

The Greensill scandal has exposed long-running tensions caused by a decision to allow business interests into the corridors of Whitehall In May 2010, Gordon Brown left a handwritten note to David Cameron, the incoming prime minister, with a simple message: “The country is in good hands. Jeremy is running it.” Nine years later, Brown’s telling […]

David Cameron repeatedly lobbied Bank of England officials as he grew increasingly frustrated about Greensill Capital’s failure to access a state-backed coronavirus support scheme. The former prime minister, who worked as an adviser for Lex Greensill’s financial firm, also contacted the Treasury as he tried unsuccessfully to get the firm’s activities covered by the Covid […]

The opposition has demanded that the powerful Liaison Committee of MPs holds an urgent investigation into Boris Johnson’s conduct after fresh revelations about Tory sleaze. The call came after it emerged the prime minister exchanged text messages with billionaire James Dyson over the tax status of his employees. Johnson promised the entrepreneur he would “fix” […]

The scandal surrounding David Cameron’s lobbying lays bare exactly what is meant by ‘selling off the NHS’ Seen from afar, the running saga of David Cameron’s efforts to meet with every minister in the UK (and beyond) on behalf of his clients can be a strange one. To even a casual observer, it seems like […]

David Cameron and Rishi Sunak have been sent a series of demands by a parliamentary inquiry into the former prime minister’s lobbying activities for Greensill Capital. The Commons Treasury Committee wrote to the pair on Tuesday, setting a May 6 deadline to answer the questions ahead of a possible appearance before MPs over the controversy. […]

David Cameron and Rishi Sunak could be called before MPs to answer questions about the former prime minister’s lobbying activities for Greensill Capital. The Commons Treasury Committee will seek to question the pair after it emerged Cameron sent text messages to the chancellor as he sought to gain access to Government-backed coronavirus loans for Greensill. […]

The former president of the European Commission has said he “made a mistake” in listening to David Cameron after being told not to interfere with the Brexit debate in the UK. Jean-Claude Juncker said he “should not have listened” to the former prime minister and “spoken out” on the issue. It comes as the row […]

Britain’s slack system for regulating politics is responsible for a devastating lack of public trust. If he were a more sympathetic figure, David Cameron would have a certain air of pathos about him – the longer he lives, the worse his reputation gets. Born to riches and elected to the highest office in the UK, everything since […]

A very limited review has been set up to look into the Greensill lobbying affair – do not expect much from it. Alexander “Lex” Greensill, formerly of Morgan Stanley, is clearly a forceful and persuasive personality. The Autralian farmer-turned-financier was adviser to the government from 2012 to 2015, during which time, he appears to have […]

The government’s links with collapsed finance firm Greensill Capital are to come under further scrutiny as ministers continue to face questions over David Cameron’s lobbying activities. The head of the watchdog which exposed the way the former head of government procurement was able to take a position as a part-time adviser to the firm while […]

Conservative MPs have voted down a proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into the Greensill lobbying scandal. MPs rejected Labour’s bid to establish a committee to investigate the lobbying of government by 357 votes to 262, with a majority of 95. Under the proposal, ministers would be forced before parliament to give evidence and the government would […]

Labour has called for a parliamentary investigation into the David Cameron lobbying scandal over Greensill, telling MPs the former prime minister is “only sorry he got caught”. Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves told the Commons: “Having refused to respond to any questions at all for 40 days, David Cameron chose a period of national grief, […]

The former head of Whitehall procurement became an adviser to Greensill Capital while still working as a civil servant in a move approved by the Cabinet Office, it has emerged. Downing Street has announced an independent review into how the failed firm secured government contracts, following a series of reports on former prime minister David […]

MPs have asked what Rishi Sunak is “afraid of” by avoiding the House of Commons during an urgent question on David Cameron and his involvement in the Greensill lobbying row. Text messages revealed Sunak revealed “pushed” officials to consider plans that could have helped the firm Cameron was lobbying for. Labour MP Andrew Gwynne told […]

Ministers are expected to face questions in the House of Commons over David Cameron’s lobbying activities on behalf of the collapsed financial firm Greensill Capital. Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds has been granted an urgent Commons question calling on chancellor Rishi Sunak to explain how Greensill was granted access to a Covid loan scheme for businesses, […]

Boris Johnson has commissioned a wide-ranging independent review into Greensill Capital, the collapsed financial firm for which David Cameron lobbied ministers. Downing Street announced that lawyer Nigel Boardman is due to lead the probe, which will examine how government contracts were secured by the company and the actions of the former prime minister. Cameron accepted […]

Gordon Brown has said former prime ministers “must never” lobby government for commercial purposes as he admonished David Cameron’s own efforts. The former prime minister also chided ministers who allowed Cameron to lobby them through unofficial channels.  Brown told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Former prime ministers must never be lobbying for commercial purposes. Current […]

David Cameron has defended meeting Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman during a business trip in January last year. The former British prime minister said he and scandal-hit financier Lex Greensill met the leader during a trip to the kingdom while advising on the country’s upcoming chairmanship of the G20. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, […]

David Cameron has accepted he should have communicated with the government “through only the most formal of channels” as he acknowledged he made mis-steps over the Greensill Capital lobbying controversy. Breaking his weeks of silence, the former prime minister said in a statement that having “reflected on this at length” he accepts there are “important […]

David Cameron took scandal-hit financier Lex Greensill for a “private drink” with health secretary Matt Hancock to discuss a payment scheme later rolled out in the NHS. The Sunday Times also reported that the Treasury reconsidered Greensill’s application for an emergency coronavirus loan after the former prime minister messaged a senior adviser to Boris Johnson. […]

Rishi Sunak has been defended by a fellow Cabinet minister amid calls for an investigation after text messages showed he “pushed” officials to consider plans that could have helped a firm David Cameron was lobbying for. Labour questioned whether the chancellor had broken the ministerial code, while the SNP urged Mr Sunak to appear before […]

Calls for an investigation have been made after Rishi Sunak revealed he “pushed” officials to consider plans that could have helped a firm David Cameron was lobbying for. Labour also questioned whether the chancellor had broken the ministerial code, while the SNP urged Sunak to appear before parliament next week to “set the record straight” […]

Tony Blair has said he did not enjoy being the UK prime minister due to the huge responsibility it entailed. Blair, who was prime minister between 1997 and 2007, also said it was “crazy” that the experience required for the role is so “nugatory”. The comments were made during an interview with BBC Radio 4 […]

Former ministers like David Cameron need to be “very careful” how they conduct themselves, the communities secretary has said, amid growing controversy over the ex-premier’s lobbying activities. Robert Jenrick said it was important that those who had had the “privilege” of serving in Government did not act in a way which “does harm” to the […]

David Cameron “did absolutely nothing wrong” in his dealings with Greensill Capital, according to a senior government minister. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng indicated his belief that “everything was above board” with the former prime minister’s connection to the financial services company which collapsed earlier this month. Speaking on Sky News, Kwarteng said that, with Cameron […]

An inquiry must be held to “get to the bottom” of David Cameron’s dealings with a scandal-hit banker, Keir Starmer has claimed. The Labour leader made the call as he said the sooner such an inquiry starts “the better”. It comes after Labour raised concerns that Cameron, during his time as prime minister, had ordered […]

Calls have intensified for an inquiry into David Cameron’s involvement with a scandal-hit banker after allegations surfaced that Lex Greensill was given privileged access to Whitehall departments. An investigation by the Sunday Times alleged that Greensill enriched himself through a government-backed loan scheme he designed after the then prime minister gave him access to 11 […]

A lobbying watchdog has concluded that David Cameron’s activities “do not fall within the criteria” that requires registration on the Register of Consultant Lobbyists. The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists said that the former prime minister was an employee at Greensill and so not required to register, following an investigation into whether he […]

The UK’s lobbying watchdog has launched an investigation into whether David Cameron persuaded government figures to grant loans to a financial firm he worked for. Cameron reportedly sent a number of texts to the chancellor’s private number requesting financial support for Greensill Capital through the government’s Covid business relief scheme. He is also alleged to have […]

In these exclusive extracts from his diaries, ALASTAIR CAMPBELL describes the aftermath of the Leveson inquiry. Thursday, November 29  The Leveson report is published, saying the press should set up a tough new independent regulator, underpinned by statute. It found: no widespread corruption of police by the press; that politicians and press have been too close; and that press behaviour, […]

Questions are bring raised about David Cameron’s latest lobbying attempt after it emerged he pressured the chancellor in private texts to issue hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of emergency Covid loans to a company he was advising. The Sunday Times reported the former prime minister sent multiple texts to Rishi Sunak’s private phone in April 2020 badgering […]