£1 m-a- year Rachel, favours to Uber from No 10 and the growing smell of scandal

Ex PM’s friend quits top job at tax-avoiding minicab firm as watchdog launches probe into toxic Uber emails No10 said didn’t exist

THe scandal over links between David Cameron’s Downing Street and Uber dramatically deepened yesterday after one of his closest friends suddenly quit her job at the controversial taxi firm.

Rachel Whetstone, 49, who is married to Mr Cameron’s former strategist, Steve Hilton, left Uber as it emerged the information watchdog had begun an investigation into the affair.

Uber said it was her decision to go, but neither side would say why she quit. However, it emerged yesterday that the information Commissioner’s Office (iCO) has begun an inquiry into an alleged cover-up by officials over links between Uber and No.10.

The Mail disclosed last month that Cameron’s No 10 team had apparently orchestrated a lobbying campaign to get Boris Johnson to protect Uber while he was still London’s Mayor.

Mr Johnson had threatened to introduce stringent new rules that would hamper the rise of the taxi firm, but did a U-turn after emails from Downing Street aides. Mr Cameron and ex-Chancellor George Osborne are believed to have sent forthright texts directly to the Mayor’s mobile phone.

The Mail also revealed that No 10 had apparently tried to cover-up its role in protecting Uber by denying there were records of any exchanges with the Mayor’s office when asked to release them under freedom of information laws.

This later proved untrue when they were published by Transport for London. Daniel Korski, the deputy head of Mr Cameron’s policy unit allegedly assigned to ‘lead’ the lobbying operation, exchanged at least seven emails with TfL officials and mayoral staff.

Last night, MPs and taxi groups welcomed news of the iCO probe, and called for a fullscale parliamentary inquiry into Mr Cameron’s alleged ‘ backroom deal’ to protect the firm.

Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Pidgeon said it was ‘just the start of what is needed’.

‘We need to go further and have a full inquiry into the cosy relationship between Uber and Downing Street,’ she said.

Uber, which allows customers to hail minicabs via their mobile phones at around two-thirds of the cost of traditional taxis, has been hit a series of PR controversies and allegations about its practices.

Miss Whetstone’s departure — after less than two years as senior vice-president of communications and public policy — will only intensify questions over the firm’s links to Mr Cameron’s No 10. She is not believed to have another job lined up.

But critics have repeatedly raised concerns about Miss Whetstone’s influence over government while at Uber and in her previous role at Google.

Yesterday, Miss Whetstone’s allies claimed she left after a series of clashes with Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick over how to handle the PR crises.

‘She was just fed up with the atmosphere and self-inflicted wounds, and their inability to fix the fundamentals,’ said one source. ‘fundamentally, the culture of the company is very unpleasant and aggressive.’

But in a gushing email to staff, Mr Kalanick said Miss Whetstone had ‘blown us away with her ability to get stuff done’.

‘She is a force of nature, an extraordinary talent and an amazing player-coach who has built a first-class organisation. importantly, Rachel was way ahead of the game when it came to many of the changes we needed to make as a company to ensure our future success — from promoting cross- func- tional teamwork to improving diversity and inclusion.

‘Her commitment to excellence in every way is inspiring and i am looking forward to having her as an adviser for years to come, with many more hikes along the Skyline Trail.’

Miss Whetstone said: ‘i am incredibly proud of the team we’ve built — and that ... a strong and brilliant woman will be taking my place. i joined Uber because i love the product — and that love is as strong today as it was when i booked my very first ride six years ago.’

She has been replaced by her deputy, Jill Hazelbaker. One of her first jobs will be to limit fallout from the iCO probe. Steve McNamara, of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, which represents 24,000 traditional cabbies, said: ‘While the iCO’s inquiry into Downing Street’s apparent lies is also good news, it doesn’t alter the fact that there now needs to be a full parliamentary inquiry.

‘everything that has gone on behind the scenes needs to be made public. Her resignation must not be allowed to prevent that happening.’

Meanwhile, Labour MP Jon Cruddas has written to Prime Minister Theresa May demanding details of how Mr Cameron lobbied for Uber.

in a letter seen by the Mail, he said: ‘The revelations suggest . . . No 10 under David Cameron acted as a fully signed-up lobbyist for Uber at the expense of a fair and effective regulatory framework for the industry.

‘it is alleged under your predecessor, David Cameron, that Uber had undue levels of access to the very top of government and this was used to influence policy in government and at City Hall under the previous Mayor, Boris Johnson.’

An iCO spokesperson said yesterday: ‘We have received a complaint and we are looking into these serious allegations.’

The Mail contacted Uber and Mr Cameron’s office about the iCO investigation, but they both declined to comment.

‘The company’s culture is very unpleasant’ ‘There now needs to be a full inquiry’