Cronyism Dyson text to PM sparks inquiry call
BORIS Johnson has been urged to submit to a parliamentary committee for questioning over concerns about cronyism and virus contracts.
The Labour Party called on the Liaison Committee to launch an urgent inquiry after details of text messages between the Prime Minister and billionaire Tory donor Sir James Dyson were released.
Mr Johnson promised he would “fix” a tax issue after lobbying from Sir James, when he was developing a £20 million ventilator programme at the start of the pandemic.
BORIS Johnson has been urged to submit to a parliamentary committee for questioning over concerns about cronyism and coronavirus contracts.
The Labour Party has now called on the Liaison Committee, one of the most powerful in the House of Commons, to launch an urgent inquiry after details of text messages between the Prime Minister and billionaire Tory donor and entrepreneur Sir James Dyson were released yesterday.
Mr Johnson promised the entrepreneur he would “fix” a tax issue after lobbying from Sir James when he was developing a £20 million ventilator programme to help during the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.
Sir James had wanted assurances that employees from his Singapore-based company would not have to pay additional tax if they came to the UK to work on the project.
He said in a text that the firm was ready but that “sadly” it seemed no-one wanted them to proceed.
Mr Johnson replied: “I will fix it tomo! We need you. It looks fantastic.”
The Prime Minister then texted again saying: “[Chancellor] Rishi [Sunak] says it is fixed!! We need you here.”
This came to light following weeks of criticism about lobbying and cronyism, after it emerged David Cameron had lobbied the Chancellor on behalf of finance firm Greensill Capital, and arranged a private drink with Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the firm’s owner Lex Greensill. The firm has subsequently collapsed.
Sir James said it was “absurd to suggest that the urgent correspondence was anything other than seeking compliance with rules” and that his company did not receive “any benefit from the project”.
Labour’s shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rachel Reeves, has now demanded that the Liaison Committee of MPS holds an urgent probe into Mr Johnson’s conduct.
She said the Prime Minister must give evidence before the cross-party group of MPS, and called for all correspondence from Mr Johnson’s phone about Government business to be released.
She has also called for Downing Street to release details of communications between ministers, officials and lobbyists.
Ms Reeves said: “NHS nurses worked on our frontlines to protect us – but it’s a chum of the Prime Minister who has his phone number that gets offered a tax break, while they got a pay cut. Revelations seem to confirm a growing feeling that if one has access to a telephone number of someone like the Prime Minister or the Chancellor of the Exchequer, then they are able to gain special treatment, potentially even significant financial ones.
“We need the Prime Minister to appear before the Liaison Committee immediately, and for a thorough investigation into his conduct on this matter.
“Boris Johnson should also stick to the commitment he made in Prime Minister’s Questions and publish his text messages with other business leaders immediately.”
It comes after the SNP’S Ian Blackford called on Mr Johnson to publish all personal contact he has had about coronavirus contracts from external firms during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.
He subsequently wrote to Mr Johnson last night, following the PM’S comments that he had “nothing to conceal” and that he was “happy to share all the details with the House, as indeed I have shared them with my officials, immediately”.
Mr Blackford said there needed to be a “comprehensive, independent public inquiry” into the issues, and added: “The public also deserve answers and transparency right now.
“This afternoon you gave a welcome and specific commitment to ‘immediately’ publish all your personal correspondence relating to Covid contracts.
“This commitment is now in the record of the House of Commons. The public have the right to expect that you will stand by this commitment — if there is nothing to conceal then I presume you will follow through on this promise.”
Downing Street said the Prime Minister had done nothing wrong and has followed the ministerial code, declaring the messages to civil servants.
Mr Johnson said: “I make absolutely no apology at all for shifting heaven and Earth and doing everything I possibly could to secure ventilators for the people of this country.”
I make absolutely no apology at all