PM backs minister in ‘cash for favours’ property row
BORIS JOHNSON has insisted his Housing Secretary “did the right thing” by approving a Tory donor’s £1billion property deal, as Robert Jenrick came under renewed pressure over the development.
Yesterday, Labour asked Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, to investigate the role of the Prime Minister and senior No10 advisers in the growing “cash for favours” row.
Mr Jenrick signed off on the Westferry housing project in East London on Jan 14, despite departmental and town hall objections, eight weeks after meeting Richard Desmond at a Conservative dinner.
The Prime Minister has been drawn into the furore after a lobbyist linked to the project, Richard Patient, was photographed at Mr Johnson’s Tory leadership victory party last summer.
Yesterday, Mr Johnson insisted he had “absolutely nothing” to do with the decision but stressed the need for “great new homes” across the country.
He said: “I can assure you I had absolutely nothing to do with that. I meet people the whole time.
“I think the most important thing is to recognise that, here in London and across the whole country, we do need to get development going on.” When asked if Mr Jenrick did the right thing, the Prime Minister replied: “As far as I know, of course he did.”
Labour has asked Sir Mark to investigate No 10’s role in the development and alleges that Mr Patient has close links to Mr Jenrick and Sir Edward Lister, the Prime Minister’s senior adviser.
Steve Reed, the shadow communities and local government secretary, said: “The Prime Minister’s extraordinary insistence that Robert Jenrick ‘did the right thing’, even though Jenrick has now admitted his decision was unlawful, has done even more damage to trust in the planning system.
“The latest revelations expose the murky relationship between No 10, senior government ministers and lobbyists for billionaire property developers – they warrant urgent investigation by the Cabinet Secretary.”
Mr Jenrick faces a grilling from MPS today as he takes departmental questions in the Commons.