Downing Street distances PM from Jenrick planning controversy

BORIS JOHNSON has full confidence in his Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick after further revelations about the controversial Westferry Printworks planning decision.

Downing Street said Mr Johnson still had confidence in the Cabinet Minister but sought to distance the Prime Minister from the row. Tory donor Richard Desmond said he showed Mr Jenrick a promotional video of his east London development before the Communities Secretary approved the plan.

The media mogul told the Sunday Times that Mr Jenrick watched the video for “three or four minutes” at a Conservative Party fundraiser at the Savoy Hotel.

Mr Jenrick later approved the development of a 1,500-flat scheme the day before a new council community levy would have cost Mr Desmond’s company an extra £40m. The £1bn redevelopment was approved in January by Mr Jenrick against the recommendation of a planning inspector.

The decision was reversed after legal action by Tower Hamlets Council and Mr Jenrick accepted his decision was “unlawful by reason of apparent bias”. Two weeks after the Minister stepped in to approve the scheme, Electoral Commission records show Mr Desmond personally gave £12,000 to the Conservatives.

Asked whether No 10 knew Mr Jenrick had watched the video during a fundraising dinner, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “What the Communities Secretary has said is that he is confident that all the rules were followed in taking the decision and he has rejected the suggestion that there was any actual bias in the decision.”