Cameron ‘admits Sunak text messages were a mistake’

DAVID CAMERON has admitted that texting Rishi Sunak over access for his employer to a coronavirus loan scheme was a mistake, his friends have reportedly said.

The former prime minister is facing questions over his efforts on behalf of Greensill Capital last year. Greensill, the main financial backer of Liberty Steel, collapsed last month, putting thousands of UK jobs at risk.

This week, it emerged that Mr Sunak, the Chancellor, responded to Mr Cameron’s texts saying he had “pushed” officials to consider plans that could have helped Greensill. Mr Cameron is yet to comment publicly on the controversy, but friends have spoken to the Financial Times about his involvement.

“I think he would agree it could be argued that a formal letter would have been more appropriate,” one ally said.

Last night, Mr Cameron was embroiled in further allegations that he took Lex Greensill, the firm’s founder, for a “private drink” with Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, to discuss a payment scheme later rolled out in the NHS, according to The Sunday Times.

Mr Cameron also described the decision to exclude Greensill from the emergency coronavirus loan scheme as “nuts” in an email. “What we need is for Rishi to have a good look at this and ask officials to find a way of making it work,” Mr Cameron wrote last year, reportedly prompting the Treasury to reconsider Mr Greensill’s application.

Ultimately, Mr Cameron’s efforts failed and Greensill filed for insolvency.

Questions have also arisen about the access Mr Greensill had across government while Mr Cameron was in No10, and how the financier was able to benefit from a government loan scheme he advocated. Friends sought to downplay the amount to which Mr Cameron saw Mr Greensill while in office. “David thinks he met him once in the entirety of his time as prime minister,” one said.

After leaving Downing Street, Mr Cameron worked as an adviser for Greensill and lobbied ministers.

Anneliese Dodds, Labour’s shadow chancellor, demanded a full investigation into whether Mr Sunak broke the ministerial code.