COSY TEXTS THAT DAMN MINISTER
Dossier of private messages shows Jenrick rushed through homes plan that would save tycoon Tory donor a fortune
ROBERT Jenrick rushed through approval of a Tory donor’s £1billion property deal to save him £45million, explosive messages suggested last night.
The Housing Secretary was forced to hand over damning texts he exchanged with former newspaper tycoon Richard Desmond.
The billionaire pleaded with him to give the project the go-ahead before a Labour-run council brought in a levy that would cost him £45million.
In one text message, Mr Desmond wrote: ‘We appreciate the speed as we don’t want to give Marxists loads of doe [sic] for nothing!’
Emails between Mr Jenrick’s officials show the minister was ‘insistent’ that the planning decision be made before the levy came in.
Despite the damaging revelations, Boris Johnson last night backed him to remain in his post and insisted he believed the matter was closed.
The Housing Secretary has faced
accusations of ‘cash for favours’ since the Daily Mail revealed Mr Desmond had donated £12,000 to the Conservative Party two weeks after his scheme for 1,500 homes was given the go-ahead.
Mr Jenrick had resisted calls to make public the correspondence relating to his decision. But yesterday he finally agreed to release ‘all relevant information’ – under pressure from Labour in Parliament.
The minister overruled Tower Hamlets council and a planning inspector to grant permission for the development in January, two months after he sat next to Mr Desmond at a Tory fundraising dinner.
Mr Jenrick yesterday admitted watching a promotional video about the scheme on Mr Desmond’s mobile phone at the event at the Savoy Hotel but insisted he ‘informed the developer it was not appropriate to discuss the matter’.
However, the two men swapped mobile phone numbers and exchanged a series of messages, including over arrangements for a possible visit to the site.
In a message on December 23, Mr Desmond appealed for a quick decision. He wrote: ‘We have to get the approval before January 15 otherwise payment of £45million to Tower Hamlets, meaning we have to stop and reduce social housing.’
Mr Jenrick raised the issue in a meeting with his officials a fortnight later.
A few days after that, one wrote: ‘ On timing, my understanding is that the Secretary of State is/was insistent that decision issued this week – as next week the viability of the scheme is impacted by a change in the London community infrastructure levy regime.’
A document prepared by Mr Jenrick’s department shows that officials advised him not to approve the development.
Mr Jenrick has always insisted that he informed officials about his meeting with Mr Desmond at the Tory fundraising dinner. But in a letter published last night alongside the documents, the Housing Secretary admitted he did not do this until after the general election, which was almost four weeks later.
In the Commons yesterday, MPs warned there was a ‘stench of sleaze’ around the Housing Secretary’s approval for the plan to redevelop the site of the Westferry printworks in east London.
Mr Jenrick insisted that he had acted within the rules, but admitted: ‘I am not blind to the fact that things could and should have been done differently.’ He said it was ‘outrageous’ to suggest his decision was influenced by his interactions with Mr Desmond.
Labour’s housing spokesman Steve Reed said the documents confirmed that Mr Jenrick ‘rushed through the decision specifically to help the developer avoid a £30-£50million levy payable to the local council for infrastructure in one of the poorest local authorities in England’.
He added: ‘The Housing Secretary needs to come to the House to explain these discrepancies as a matter of urgency: the public must be reassured there is not one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy donors and another rule for everyone else.’
Layla Moran, who is standing to be leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: ‘Robert Jenrick’s position is now completely untenable. The public will be appalled at what looks like a clear abuse of power.’
Mr Jenrick last month agreed for his decision to be quashed after Tower Hamlets launched a High Court challenge.