Now peers dragged into lobbying storm
Cameron aide is one of many also working for major companies
‘Two roles shouldn’t overlap’
A TOP aide to David Cameron is one of several members of the House of Lords who also work for major lobbying firms.
Baroness Fall was deputy chief of staff to the former prime minister, now embroiled in a scandal over his contacting ministers on behalf of Greensill Capital, and was given a peerage by him.
She is a member of an international relations select committee in the Lords and was last year appointed to the Government’s
Cultural Recovery Board that oversees the delivery of a £1.5billion fund to save venues left on the brink by Covid restrictions.
But Baroness Fall also has a paid role at Brunswick, one of the country’s biggest lobbying firms. Its website describes her as a senior adviser and ‘executive director of Brunswick’s geopolitical offer’, while also mentioning her current position in the Lords and her previous role as Mr Cameron’s ‘gatekeeper’ for 11 years.
Baroness Fall – along with the other peers who work for lobbying firms – does not lobby ministers or officials, which is not permitted under the House of Lords code of conduct.
She told the Mail: ‘I am a senior adviser at Brunswick in the geopolitical team – my work involves advising clients on global critical issues.
‘I do not and never have lobbied politicians or civil servants on behalf of the firm’s clients. I comply fully with the House of Lords code.’
But there are growing questions as to whether or not serving politicians should be allowed to work for lobbying firms in any capacity, in the wake of the Greensill scandal that has uncovered close links between politics and business.
The concerns about peers working for lobbying firms come amid a growing scandal in the wake of the collapse of controversial finance firm Greensill. After it was revealed that
Mr Cameron had texted ministers to get the lender access to huge Covid support loans, details emerged of the access he had given to founder Lex Greensill when he had been in power including letting him have Downing Street business cards.
Last night Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told the Mail that peers should not be working for lobbying firms at all.
Jon Gerlis of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations professional body said: ‘When it comes to legislators, they shouldn’t have two roles that overlap, it’s inappropriate.’
A Cabinet minister under Mr Cameron also works for a registered lobbying firm. Baroness Morgan of Cotes was appointed to the UK advisory board of Grayling last September, having stepped down as Culture Secretary in February. Former Labour
MP Baroness Hayman of Ullock is also a member of Grayling’s senior advisory board.
Lord Powell, an adviser to Margaret Thatcher and John Major when they were in Downing Street, is also a senior adviser with Brunswick.
He said: ‘In my role as a senior adviser to Brunswick I do not and never have lobbied politicians or civil servants on behalf of the firm’s clients.’
Another major UK lobbying firm, Edelman, has been chaired by former Labour minister Lord Myners since 2015. Financier Baroness Morrissey is also a member of the advisory board and senior adviser to Edelman. Her declaration in the Lords register of interests states that the position was unpaid until January. Former BP executive Lord Browne of Madingley also sits on Edelman’s advisory board but his register of interests states it is among ‘Non-financial interests’.
A spokesman for Edelman said: ‘John Browne, Helena Morrissey and Paul Myners... do not lobby on behalf of Edelman nor any of its clients.’