Cameron to be investigated over loans claims for financial firm
Former prime minister David Cameron is being investigated by the lobbying watchdog following claims he tried to persuade Government figures to grant loans to a financial firm he worked for.
Mr Cameron reportedly sent a number of texts to the Chancellor's private phone asking forsupportforgreensillcapital throughthegovernment'scovidcorporatefinancingfacility (CCFF).
He is also alleged to have approached the Bank of England about the firm, which collapsed into administration earlier this month.
His activities are now being investigated by Harry Rich, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists - a post set up in legislation passed by Mr Cameron's Government in 2014.
The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 makes it an offence for someone who is not a registered lobbyist to directly lobby ministers or senior civil servants. The offence could result in a fine of up to £7,500. But people lobbying on behalf of their own organisation are not required to register and it is understood that Mr Cameron was an employee at Greensill.
In a statement, the office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists said: "Following media reports, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is investigating whether Mr David Cameron has engaged in unregistered consultant lobbying. The registrar will not comment on this further while the investigation is ongoing."
The Sunday Times reported that the former prime minister sent a number of texts to Rishi Sunak asking for help for Greensill. The Times subsequently reported that he had directly lobbied the Bank of England.
On Wednesday, Boris Johnson was questioned about whether Mr Cameron had contacted advisers in No 10 about the firm.
Mr johnson said :" that' s news to me. Any such contacts or whatever, of course, will be registered in the proper way."
Greensill was the main financial backer for Liberty Steel, which owns 12 plants in the UK and employs 5,000 people but now faces an uncertain future.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng was asked about private texts sent by Mr Cameron to Mr Sunak to secure funds for Liberty Steel. During an urgent question in thecommons,labourmpgeraintdavies(swanseawest)said: "We know that David Cameron wasanadvisertogreensillcapitalwithshareholdingsofpotentially tens of millions of pounds and that he made private texts and calls on a number of occasions to the Chancellor to help secure funds for Liberty before Grensill, a high-risk company, went bust, which has put thousands of jobs at Liberty Steel at risk.
"So what investigation will BEIS carry on into this and will (Mr Kwarteng) ensure in future that taxpayers' money no longer is interfered with by David Cameron and former Conservative ministers.” Mr Kwarteng responded: "Officials often meet with a range of businesses affected by policy changes, that's part of policy development, but it's always done with proper and due consideration."
Mr Cameron's office has not commented on the inquiry.