Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Cam: I’m riding to the rescue
EX-PM’S desperate Greensill lobbying messages to Tory pals are revealed
DAVID Cameron told his Tory pals he was “riding to the rescue” as he sent scores of messages to lobby for support for Greensill Capital.
Newly-released documents show the former PM – a paid adviser at Greensill from 2018 – and his team sent 73 emails, texts and messages relating to the firm to Government figures in four months. He even signed off some: “Love DC”. Mr Cameron sent increasingly desperate texts to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, two Treasury ministers, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and deputy Bank of England boss Sir Jon Cunliffe as he tried to get Covid loans for Greensill.
He told Treasury civil servant Sir Tom Scholar: “I am riding to the rescue with Supply Chain Finance with my friend Lex Greensill – my new job. See you with Rishi’s for an elbow bump or foot tap. Love DC.”
In a plea to Mr Gove, he grovelled: “I know you are manically busy – and doing a great job, by the way.” On April 22, he texted Mr Sunak to ask if he could “give it another nudge over the finish line”. The Treasury Committee released the correspondence ahead of a hearing yesterday, at which financier Lex Greensill issued a grovelling apology over the firm’s collapse in March, which plunged 5,000 jobs into doubt as it was a major financial backer of Liberty Steel.
Mr Greensill denied Labour MP Siobhain Mcdonagh’s accusation that he was a “fraudster” at the fiery hearing.
He defended his supply chain finance business model, whereby companies get credit to pay suppliers more quickly, but said: “We ultimately failed. So there clearly was a flaw in our business.
“I am desperately saddened that more than 1,000 very hard-working people have lost their jobs at Greensill. To all of those affected by this: I am truly sorry.” He also blamed insurer, Tokio Marine for withdrawing its coverage. Documents revealed the Financial Conduct Authority is formally investigating Greensill over allegations that are “potentially criminal in nature”.
Mr Cameron will face the committee tomorrow.