Tag Archives: Richard Desmond

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour calls for prioritisation of high-quality, zero-carbon, truly affordable homes after Jenrick scandal

Leave a comment

After Jenrick scandal, Labour calls on Government to prioritise high-quality, zero-carbon, truly affordable homes over needs of developers 

In the wake of the Westferry ‘Cash for Favours’ Scandal, Labour has today demanded the Government halt plans to give extended housebuilding and planning powers to under-fire Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

Today’s demand follows reports that the Government is considering radical plans to hand powers for major housing developments to the embattled Housing Secretary and extending the use of permitted development for conversion of commercial units for residential use.

Labour has warned that the move would jeopardise the building of new affordable homes and amounts to a “land grab” on the planning system. Labour is also concerned that this could signal pulling back on the commitment to making sure existing homes are well-insulated and energy efficient, both of which make many homes even more unaffordable.

Correspondence between Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick and billionaire developer Richard Desmond show that the Secretary of State helped the developer remove affordable housing from a planned scheme and avoid up to £50 million in tax.

Labour’s Shadow Housing Secretary Thangam Debbonaire has today called for a stronger focus on investing in high-quality, truly affordable housing which create good jobs and help meet our carbon emissions reductions target, within the planning system.

Thangam Debbonaire MP, Labour’s Shadow Housing Secretary, said:

“The Westferry scandal shows that for all their fancy language, the Tories are simply prioritising the demands of housing developers at the expense of people who need affordable homes.

“The arrogance of Robert “three-homes” Jenrick proposing a roll-out of ill-adapted rabbit hutches is staggering – permitted development has been shown to be a failure and this is just another example of the Tories doing favours for their property developer mates. Meanwhile, our climate change targets are urgent, and there are millions of existing homes which need insulation and energy efficiency.

“Instead of thinking about housing developers’ business interests, the government should be focusing on the millions of people who see home ownership as an impossible dream, or the many key workers who have been stuck for years on council housing waiting lists and invest in high-quality, truly affordable homes which are well insulated and energy efficient and help to meet our zero-carbon emissions targets.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour Refers Jenrick to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over Westferry Cash-for-Favours Scandal

Leave a comment

Labour has today written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate a potential breach of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick for his role in the Westferry “cash-for-favours” scandal.

There are fresh questions about the case after Labour forced the Government to publish an explosive cache of correspondence and text messages which reveal that the Secretary of State deliberately rushed through a planning decision to save Conservative donor Richard Desmond tens of millions of pounds in tax due to Tower Hamlets Council. The documents show he appeared to be acting on direct instruction from Mr Desmond, which is a serious abuse of powers he is supposed to exercise impartially.

The Code of Conduct for Members of the House of Commons states that members should act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in them. They should always behave with probity and integrity, including in their use of public resources.

It also states that holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, said:

“The Prime Minister can’t just sweep this issue under the carpet.  There are still so many unanswered questions about Robert Jenrick’s unlawful attempt to help Richard Desmond dodge £150m in tax days before he made a generous donation to the Conservative Party.

“The Prime Minister has yet again shown woefully poor judgment by not referring clear breaches of the Ministerial Code to the Cabinet Secretary and he must now come clean himself about his own involvement in this case.

“The Government must publish all the remaining secret documents in this case to show the public what Mr Jenrick and the Prime Minister were really up to and prove that this is not the start of a new era of Tory sleaze.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour demands further answers in Westferry ‘cash-for-favours’ scandal

Leave a comment

Labour has today written to Robert Jenrick to come back to the House of Commons to explain major discrepancies between the account he gave Parliament about his role in the Westferry cash-for-favours scandal and the documents Labour forced the Government to publish on 24 June.

Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed has also called on the Secretary of State to publish all remaining documents not subject to Freedom of Information laws in the interests of transparency over the growing scandal.

The documents reveal that Mr Jenrick initiated further contact with Mr Desmond via text message after they dined together at a Conservative Party Fundraising dinner. They also show that he failed to notify officials immediately about the dinner as he is required to do, and that he appears to have broken the code of conduct by acting on direct instructions from Mr Desmond to rush through the decision to save the billionaire Conservative Party donor £30-50m in tax due to Tower Hamlets Council.

Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

“These breathtaking documents raise far more questions about the Secretary of State’s relationship with Richard Desmond than they answer. Whether the Prime Minister likes it or not, this matter is far from closed.

“An explosive and unprecedented case of a Secretary of State quashing his own unlawful, biased decision to approve a “cash-for-favours” planning decision that saved a Conservative donor over £150 million demands the utmost transparency.

“That is why the Secretary of State must come back to the House of Commons to explain himself and why he must publish all remaining evidence. The public need to know there is not one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy friends and another rule for everyone else.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Steve Reed reacts to the publication of documents relating to the Westferry “cash for favours” scandal

Leave a comment

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, commenting on the publication of documents relating to the Westferry “cash for favours” scandal, said:

“These explosive new revelations show clear discrepancies between what the Secretary of State told the House of Commons and what appears in the official documents.

“The documents clearly show that Mr Jenrick did not notify officials immediately after his meeting with Mr Desmond; rather than “closing down” the discussion as he claims, he initiated contact with Mr Desmond by text message the following day; and it confirms that he rushed through the decision specifically to help the developer avoid a £30-50m levy payable to the local council for infrastructure in one of the poorest local authorities in England.

“The Housing Secretary needs to come to the House to explain these discrepancies as a matter of urgency: the public must be reassured that there is not one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy donors and another rule for everyone else.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour Forces Government to Release Westferry ‘Cash-for-Favours’ Document

Leave a comment

Labour has successfully forced the Government to release documents relating to the Westferry Printworks scandal.

The Housing Secretary confirmed that the Government would publish documentation to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee today, after the Government abstained on the Humble Address Motion put forward by Labour.

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

“Labour has forced the Government to publish some documents in relation to this ‘cash-for-favours’ scandal after it could not convince its own MPs to cover up this shocking case of Tory sleaze.

“This is an important first step but it remains the case that Robert Jenrick still has serious questions to answer about his relationship with Mr Desmond and his unlawful, biased decision to approve the development.

“The Government needs to comply fully with this binding motion of the House of Commons Nothing but full transparency will do if this Government wants to restore broken trust in the integrity of the planning system.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour demands the Prime Minister discloses meetings with Richard Desmond in the run up to the Westferry development scandal

Leave a comment

Labour has today demanded answers from No 10 about Boris Johnson’s relationship with Richard Desmond and his role in the Westferry scandal, in which Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick unlawfully approved a planning application knowing that it would help the multibillionaire Conservative Party donor avoid tens of millions of pounds in tax.

Labour has demanded to know how many occasions Boris Johnson has met Richard Desmond since becoming Prime Minister, as well his meetings with other Conservative Party donors. It follows reports that the Cabinet Secretary is investigating the Housing Secretary for a breach of the Ministerial Code.

Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, said:

“This murky affair threatens to engulf 10 Downing Street. It’s not just the Housing Secretary that needs to come clean about the decisions he has taken, it’s the Prime Minister too.

“Robert Jenrick’s unlawful, biased decision that saved Desmond tens of millions of pounds was seeded in the Prime Minister’s approval of this application while he was Mayor of London, when he was wined and dined by Desmond in five star hotels across London.

“This scandal reaches right inside 10 Downing Street given the Prime Minister’s relationship with Richard Desmond. He must now come clean about when he and his advisers met Desmond since taking office and must ask the Cabinet Secretary to launch a formal investigation into any breaches of the Ministerial Code to show the Conservatives have not been accepting cash for favours.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour Demands Government Publishes Outcome of Cabinet Secretary’s Investigation

Leave a comment

Labour has today called on the Cabinet Office to commit to publishing the findings of the investigation by the Cabinet Secretary into Robert Jenrick’s unlawful decision to force through the Westferry Printworks development, which helped billionaire Conservative Party donor Richard Desmond to avoid tens of millions of pounds in tax.

At today’s session of Housing, Communities and Local Government Oral Questions in the House of Commons, Robert Jenrick admitted that documentation relating to this case has been passed to the Cabinet Secretary.

 Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

“It is no wonder Robert Jenrick hid from MPs’ questions last week, because his appearance today has raised more questions than it answered and done nothing to ease concerns over apparent cash-for-favours in the planning process.

“Mr Jenrick has now admitted he knew Mr Desmond faced a £50 million tax bill for local infrastructure like schools and clinics that came into force the day after.

“He also failed to say whether he formally told Government officials about his dinner date with Richard Desmond before he took the decision.

“The only disinfectant that can clear the bad smell hanging around this decision is honesty.  Mr Jenrick must immediately publish all correspondence about this case to allow full public scrutiny of what he’s been up to.”

Labour Party - Latest

Labour demands investigation into Number 10’s role in the Westferry development

Leave a comment

Labour has asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the role of the Prime Minister and senior No 10 advisers in the growing Westferry Printworks scandal.

The Prime Minister approved an earlier planning proposal at Westferry in 2016 while Mayor of London after meeting Richard Desmond on a number of occasions. It has now been revealed that the lobbyist linked to the project has close links to the Prime Minister, his senior adviser Sir Edward Lister who was Deputy Mayor for Planning while Johnson was Mayor of London, and to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

Labour has also asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate whether Housing Minister Chris Pincher misled the House of Commons after a whistle-blower from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government claimed that Mr Jenrick did not notify senior officials following his dinner with Richard Desmond at the Carlton Club.

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, said:

“The Prime Minister’s extraordinary insistence that Robert Jenrick ‘did the right thing’, even though Jenrick has now admitted his decision was unlawful has done even more damage to trust in the planning system.

“The latest revelations expose the murky relationship between No 10, senior Government ministers and lobbyists for billionaire property developers – they warrant urgent investigation by the Cabinet Secretary into any wrongdoing.

“Ministers must not put the planning process up for sale to their wealthy friends.  The only disinfectant that can clear the stench around this decision is honesty.  Mr Jenrick must immediately publish all correspondence about this case to allow full public scrutiny of what he’s been up to.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Labour calls on Conservatives to repay Richard Desmond’s donation in Westferry planning scandal

Leave a comment

Labour has called on the Conservative Party to repay the £12,000 donation made by billionaire businessman Richard Desmond.  The donation was raised in an urgent question in Parliament today about Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick’s unlawful decision to approve Mr Desmond’s billion-pound Westferry planning application just days before he handed over the cash.  The pair had been seen dining together at an exclusive Conservative Party fund-raising event just weeks before Jenrick forced the scheme through.

The Secretary of State refused to come to the House of Commons to face questions over his behaviour despite reportedly being seen in the MPs’ tea room moments earlier.

Mr Jenrick has admitted that his decision to over-rule Tower Hamlets Council and his own planning inspector was unlawful, but has not explained what the ‘apparent bias’ was that Government officials say lay behind it.  Labour is calling for Mr Jenrick to come clean and publish all documents and correspondence relating to his decision to grant planning consent.

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher, standing in for Robert Jenrick, failed to answer questions about the Secretary of State’s role in the scandal despite Labour sending him the questions in advance.

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

“Instead of answering questions about his behaviour, Robert Jenrick sent in a junior minister to speak on his behalf while he apparently laid low in the tea room.  This attempt to avoid scrutiny shows contempt for the public who are concerned about the integrity of the planning process.

“Robert Jenrick dodged questions from MPs about his biased and unlawful decision to over-rule his own advisors and force through a billion-pound luxury development which saved Richard Desmond tens of millions of pounds in tax. Just weeks later, Desmond made a generous donation to the Conservative Party.

“The Conservatives have broken confidence in the planning system.  They can only mend it by returning the donation to Mr Desmond and by Robert Jenrick immediately publishing all correspondence with Richard Desmond so the public can see the true reasons for his decision.”

All news, Labour Party - Latest

Questions Robert Jenrick must answer about Westferry scandal

Leave a comment

Labour has set out the questions Robert Jenrick must answer about his unlawful planning decision that helped wealthy Tory donor Richard Desmond save tens of millions of pounds in taxes that would have funded community development projects.

With fresh revelations reported today, Labour is taking the unusual step of publishing the questions it will ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons on Thursday.

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will pose the following questions to Mr Jenrick:

  • Will Mr Jenrick publish all documents and correspondence relating to this decision so the public can see why he took it despite the objections of the local council and the independent planning inspector appointed by his own Department?
  • Did Mr Jenrick disclose his conversation with Richard Desmond to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government ahead of his 14th January decision to grant planning permission, and if not does this represent a breach of the Ministerial Code.
  • Why did Mr Jenrick then not recuse himself from decision making in this case given his relationship with the developer?
  • What contact did Mr Jenrick, or officials in his department, have with the developer or their representatives regarding the application and, specifically, regarding the £30-50 million the developer would have been liable for after 14 January if he hadn’t intervened?

Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

“Communities must have confidence that the planning process is fair and transparent, but the unanswered questions around Robert Jenrick’s unlawful decision have weakened that trust.

“It is unprecedented for a Secretary of State to admit to bias – and there are fears he did it to avoid being forced to reveal the truth behind his decision in open court.

“It’s time for Mr Jenrick to come clean and answer these crucial questions about why he over-ruled his own inspector to grant planning permission for a billionaire Conservative Party donor to build a luxury development and dodge a £50m tax bill shortly after they dined together at a glitzy fundraising dinner – Mr Jenrick must prove it’s not one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy donors but another rule for everyone else.”