It is time to “move on” from a row over David Cameron’s dealings with a financial services company, a minister has told Sky News.
“I think people have looked at this. As far as I know, David Cameron did absolutely nothing wrong,” Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said when asked about the former prime minister’s links to Greensill Capital.
He added: “People have looked into his role, people looked into the fact that he may or may not have contacted people, officials in the Treasury.
“As far as I know, everything was above board, he’s been largely exonerated and I think we should just move on.”
A watchdog has said Mr Cameron did not break his own lobbying rules in trying to secure help for the firm
A watchdog said last week that Mr Cameron, who was in Downing Street from 2010 to 2016, did not break his own lobbying rules in trying to secure government help for the firm.
As well as seeking funds from a government-backed COVID loans scheme, Mr Cameron is also alleged to have approached the Bank of England about the firm, which collapsed earlier this month.
Reports Mr Cameron sent a number of texts to Chancellor Rishi Sunak‘s private phone asking for support for Greensill Capital, were investigated by Harry Rich, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists.
That post was set up in legislation passed by Mr Cameron’s own government in 2014.
But, as an employee of Greensill, which has since gone into administration, he was not required to declare himself on the register of consultant lobbyists, Mr Rich concluded.
There were reports Mr Cameron sent a number of texts to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s private phone asking for support for Greensill
However, Labour is now calling for the standards watchdog to look into government links to Greensill.
The party wants the Committee on Standards in Public Life to launch an investigation.
“The unravelling threads of this tale are extremely worrying,” shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said.
“It adds to the growing catalogue of allegations of cronyism and concerning use of public money that the Conservatives are mired in.
“Taxpayers deserve to know the true extent of government access given to Greensill Capital through the former Conservative prime minister.
“And they also must be reassured that the government are putting robust measures in place to act far more transparently in future to stop this story repeating.”
Labour’s Rachel Reeves is leading calls for a further investigation
It comes after a Sunday Times investigation alleged that founder Lex Greensill enriched himself through a government-supported loan scheme that he designed after Mr Cameron gave him access to 11 departments and agencies.
The newspaper reported that the Australian financier was given access to departments while Mr Cameron was PM so he could promote a financial product he specialised in.
The Pharmacy Early Payment Scheme saw banks quickly pay back pharmacists for providing NHS prescriptions, for a fee, before getting the cash back from the government.
Greensill Capital provided funds for the scheme.
The Sunday Times said Mr Greensill could not be reached for comment, but reported he was understood to deny making large sums from a pharmacy deal.
Sky News has approached Greensill Capital for a comment through its administrators on a number of occasions, but has yet to receive a response.
David Cameron stood down as PM after the Brexit referendum
A government spokesman said: “Lex Greensill acted as a supply chain finance adviser from 2012 to 2015 and as a crown representative for three years from 2013.
“His appointment was approved in the normal manner and he was not paid for either role.”
Sky News has approached Mr Cameron’s office for a comment since the reports around Greensill Capital emerged, but has not had a response.
Lord Evans, chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said in response to Labour’s letter that it is an advisory body and “does not have a remit to investigate individual cases”.
However, he added that the committee was currently looking into arrangements surrounding transparency and public appointments and would welcome submissions from the party on the matter.
Greensill Capital’s collapse has raised questions about the future of Liberty Steel
The collapse of Greensill Capital has also raised questions about Liberty Steel, which employs 5,000 people in the UK.
Its parent company is seeking new funding to fill the hole left by the demise of Greensill.
Sky News reported on Friday that GFG Alliance, owned by Sanjeev Gupta, had gone cap in hand to the government for a bailout of up to £170m after its main source of cash went bust.
The government has said it is continuing to talk to Liberty.