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» Johnson dodges » Starmer blasts Labour’s plan for a PM for overseeing major inquiry... but a full-scale return relief lasts 50mins of ‘Tory sleaze’

tional Affairs Committee, suggested it could also probe the row as he branded Mr Cameron’s actions “tasteless, slapdash and unbecoming”.

It comes after revelations a senior civil servant moonlighted for Greensill while working for the Government – which was allowed by the Cabinet Office.

Cabinet

Secretary

Simon Case last night demanded that officials immediately declare any paid jobs outside government.

Mr Johnson said he shared the “concern” about links between Greensill and Downing Street. But he insisted his party had been “tough on lobbying”. Asked when he was last in contact with Mr Cameron, he said: “I cannot remember when I last spoke to

Dave.” The PM has asked lawyer Nigel Boardman, the son of a Tory peer, to examine behind-the-scenes contact between the Government and Mr Cameron in relation to his role with Greensill, which employed him as a paid adviser from 2018.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said Mr Boardman is a “very good friend of the Government”.

Downing Street said he is a “distinguished legal expert”. Mr Starmer said:

“The Greensill scandal is the tip of the iceberg; dodgy contracts, privileged access, jobs for their mates – this is the return of Tory sleaze.” Joking that anticorruption officers from TV show Line of Duty be brought in, he said: “The more I listen to the Prime Minister, the more I think Ted Hastings and AC-12 are needed to get to the bottom of this.”

While Conservative MPS blocked Labour’s bid to establish a separate committee to look into the Greensill affair, some backbenchers spoke out.

Tory Andrew Bowie said: “We all condemn the actions that are alleged to have taken place regarding Greensill and the involvement of the former Prime Minister.” Mr Cameron insists his lobbying did not break any rules.

But he added he should have only used “the most formal of channels” rather than texts to ministers to appeal for Covid loans for the firm.

Greensill’s request for support ended up being rejected and it filed for insolvency last month – plunging

thousands of jobs into jeopardy.

ANNOYED Rachel Reeves