The Greensill Bank logo appears in the center of Bremen, Germany, on July 3, 2019. REUTERS / Fabian Bimmer // File photo
The British government doubled its defense against allegations of cronyism on Sunday, arguing that former chief executive David Cameron’s failure to gain support for financial firm Greensill Capital proved his pressure rules were “pretty good”.
The behavior of Cameron and other officials has raised questions about whether ministers and officials have easy access to the Conservative government.
Cameron has denied breaking any codes of conduct or government rules and the government has repeatedly said the outcome of its discussions about Greensill’s proposed bankruptcies to access a COVID-19 loan plan was not accepted.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched an independent review to examine the allegations and several parliamentary committees are also investigating the role of lobbyists and the interests of ministers in private companies.
George Eustice, the environment minister, said he believed Cameron had done nothing wrong, but agreed with the former prime minister’s statement that, in retrospect, he should have contacted the government in a way more formal than through texts.
“The real point is that he’s really done something wrong? Well, really, no, but there’s an ongoing review, we shouldn’t prejudge him,” he told Sky News.
“But basically, I think the systems we have in place … are actually pretty good, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make adjustments and changes.”
The scandal has escalated since the Financial Times and Sunday Times reported that Cameron contacted ministers on Greensill’s behalf, including texting Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and organization of a cup between banker Lex Greensill and Secretary of Health Matt Hancock.
The government said last week a former chief of staff was allowed to play a part-time role advising the company in 2015, when Cameron was prime minister, while still a civil servant or civil servant. Read more
Hancock has also been criticized for having shares in a company, where his sister is a director, which was approved as a possible health care provider.
Eustice said the Minister of Health had declared this interest and had no role in any purchase. “So yes, there is nothing wrong with ministers having financial interests as long as they declare them in the right way.”
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