Boris Johnson denies involvement in decision to allow £1bn housing development that saved Tory donor Richard Desmond £50m tax bill
- Robert Jenrick approved application by the billionaire for 1,500 Docklands flats
- Weeks later the ex-Express owner donated £12,000 to the Conservatives
- PM told MPs at that he ‘certainly had no correspondence’ about the matter
- Labour is demanding documents about the plan are published immediately
The Prime Minister faced Labour attempts to draw him into the row over Richard Desmond’s £1billion Westferry Printworks as he appeared in the Commons this afternoon
Boris Johnson was today forced to deny any personal links to a controversial ministerial planning decision that saved a Tory donor up to £50million in tax.
The Prime Minister faced Labour attempts to draw him into the row over Richard Desmond’s £1billion Westferry Printworks as he appeared in the Commons this afternoon.
It surrounds Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick’s approval for an application by the former Express newspaper proprietor to build 1,500 luxury flats in east London.
He overruled official objections and personally approved the plans the day before Mr Desmond would have been liable for a new tax, which would have cost him £30million to £50million.
Weeks later the two men sat together at a Conservative Party fundraiser where Mr Desmond gave the party £12,000.
Mr Jenrick later withdrew his decision after being accused of ‘bias’ in the High Court over the Westferry Printworks development in London’s Docklands.
Mr Johnson told MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon that he ‘certainly had no correspondence’ about the matter and that Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick would respond to any concerns ‘if there is anything to be said’.
On Monday, Mr Jenrick defended his decision to approve a controversial planning application by a Conservative party donor.
He told MPs he had acted in ‘good faith’ and ‘within the rules’ in backing Richard Desmond’s scheme to create 1,500 homes in east London.
But Labour is leading calls for an official into the matter, with shadow communities and local government secretary Steve Reed saying: ‘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.
Mr Johnson told MPs at Prime minister’s Questions this afternoon that he ‘certainly had no correspondence’ about the matter and that Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick would respond to any concerns ‘if there is anything to be said’
Mr Jenrick overruled official objections and personally approved the plans the day before Mr Desmond would have been liable for a new tax, which would have cost him up to £50million
‘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.’
The Metropolitan Police said they would not be taking any action but during PMQs on Wednesday, Mr Johnson was pressed on the issue once more.
Labour MP Christian Matheson said: ‘The Prime Minister has previously stated to the House that he had no correspondence or discussions with (Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick) about the Westferry Printworks application.
‘Will he now also confirm that none of his officials or advisers also had such correspondence or discussions with (Mr Jenrick) or his officials and advisers and will the Prime Minister undertake to publish all correspondence relating to this matter when (Mr Jenrick) reports?’
Mr Johnson responded: ‘I certainly had no correspondence about this matter myself and nor, as far as I’m aware, did any of my officials, but if there is anything to be said I know that, I think, (Mr Matheson) has written to (Mr Jenrick) and he will be writing back.’
A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a review by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to be published ‘in the interest of transparency and openness’.
‘There are a number of questions that have gone unanswered and that is why the Cabinet Secretary is right to be investigating and looking into this matter,’ the spokesman added.