FOLLOWING an announcement by Downing Street that an independent review of Greensill Capital will take place, an urgent question was lodged in the Commons for Rishi Sunak to answer today, but he was nowhere to be seen.
It was recently revealed that Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, received private text messages from former Tory prime minister David Cameron on behalf of financial firm Greensill Capital and its founder Lex Greensill.
Cameron had been attempting to get access to the Government's Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and potentially millions in taxpayers' money.
READ MORE: Downing Street launches probe into Greensill amid lobbying scandal
It has also been revealed that Cameron lobbied Health Secretary Matt Hancock, as well as senior Government officials, to try and secure access for Greensill to Covid loan schemes.
In addition to casual text messages with Sunak, he also took Hancock to private drinks to discuss financial support for the firm.
Cameron was reportedly set to receive tens of millions of pounds through the shares that he held before the company collapsed.
The SNP's shadow Cabinet Office spokesperson, Stewart Hosie MP, described the current Tory government as "rotten to its very core" as revelations around the scandal continue to develop.
After the independent review was announced on Monday, Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds was granted an urgent question about the scandal with Sunak expected to appear in the Commons to answer questions on the matter.
However, the Chancellor is not required to answer these questions, so Tory MP Paul Scully, the parliamentary under-secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis), was sent in his place.
Dodds' urgent question of the Government was to ask Sunak if he would make a statement on how Greensill was approved as a lender for the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).
After introducing the question, Dodds said: "I welcome the minister's presence, but it was the Chancellor who needed to come to the house today. The Chancellor, who told David Cameron he would push his team to amend emergency loan schemes to suit Cameron's new employer. The Chancellor, whose officials met with Greensill 10 times. The Chancellor, who took the credit for government business loan schemes when they were in the headlines, indeed, who personally announced those schemes. Yet the Chancellor is frit of putting his name to those loan schemes today.
"He's just spent £600,000 on communications, you'd think that would extend to communicating with parliament. In the Chancellor's absence, let me ask - what was the alternative that the Chancellor pushed his team to explore after David Cameron texted him? What discussions did government have with the British Business Bank about Greensill's access to CLBILS after it had already been rejected for the CCFF? Were the criteria for CLBILS amended so Greensill could access the scheme? And why was Greensill the only supply chain finance firm accredited to CLBILS and what due diligence was done?
"Hundreds of millions of pounds of public money were put at risk by giving Greensill access to this scheme. With Greensill's collapse, thousands of jobs ... right across the country have been put at risk. Those workers and taxpayers across the country deserve answers.
"The Chancellor said he would level with the public, why is he running scared of levelling with them on the Greensill scandal."
READ MORE: Kirsty Strickland: David Cameron isn’t the only one with questions to answer
Scully responded by repeating that the answers to most of these questions will be answered in the independent review.
However, the reason for Sunak's absence was explained with Scully saying it was down to the "question being asked" by Dodds and suggested that she "ask in a different form, or ask a different question".
He explained this by saying that Beis (Scully's department) is responsible for the delivery of CLBILS and said that neither HM Treasury nor Beis had a role in accreditation for the scheme as this is done "independently".
Dodds was not convinced by this explanation, later tweeting: "The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme literally had the Chancellor’s name all over it: his scheme, his launch, his headlines.
"But he refused to come to Parliament today to explain why Cameron's Greensill Capital gained access to that scheme.
"The Chancellor is frit."
The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme literally had the Chancellor’s name all over it: his scheme, his launch, his headlines.
— Anneliese Dodds 💙 (@AnnelieseDodds) April 13, 2021
But he refused to come to Parliament today to explain why Cameron's Greensill Capital gained access to that scheme.
The Chancellor is frit.
The SNP's Treasury spokesperson, Alison Thewliss (below), spoke remotely, saying that this scandal is "nothing new" as in November the National Audit Office raising concerns about a "VIP list of suppliers" that were 10 times more likely to get a government contract.
She said: "It is absolutely galling that while some have hoovered up so much government support when millions who don't happen to have ministerial phone numbers get absolutely nothing at all."
She called for Sunak, Hancock and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to come before parliament to explain their actions and added: "How can we have confidence in this inquiry that has been announced when from the Home Secretary's bullying to the race equality report, this UK Government has such a woeful record in marking their own homework."
Scully received groans in the chamber and a shake of the head from Thewliss when he responded by saying that a number of issues were "slightly wider of the mark" of the urgent question asked and the review "will do its work".
It is understood that the independent review into Greensill, led by legal expert Nigel Boardman, will report findings at the end of June.
The SNP's shadow Cabinet Office spokesperson, Stewart Hosie (above), said earlier today that "while around 2.4 million people and businesses were left without UK government Covid financial support after a year of the pandemic", Cameron had senior ministers on speed dial".
Hosie said: "The serious revelations of the sustained lobbying of government ministers has yet again exposed the rampant cronyism at the heart of Boris Johnson's Tory government.
"Given the seriousness of the issue and the litany of examples of Tory cronyism it is vital that Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock come before Parliament to explain their conduct and disclose their full exchanges with David Cameron.
"This Tory government is rotten to its very core.
"The Tories have form in attempting to kick scandals into the long grass, so while the belated announcement of an inquiry is welcome, it's clear we need answers from Cabinet ministers now. They cannot use the inquiry as a cheap excuse to duck accountability."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel