• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Cameron took Greensill for a ‘private drink’ with Matt Hancock to discuss NHS payment scheme

The flexible payment scheme was later rolled out across the health service.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-04-10 21:07
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

David Cameron took scandal-hit financier Lex Greensill for a “private drink” with Health Secretary Matt Hancock to discuss a payment scheme later rolled out in the NHS.

The Sunday Times also reported that the Treasury reconsidered Mr Greensill’s application for an emergency coronavirus loan after the former prime minister messaged a senior adviser to Boris Johnson.

Mr Cameron was said to have described the decision to exclude his employer’s firm, Greensill Capital, from the multibillion-pound scheme as “nuts” and pressed for the Chancellor to reconsider.

“What we need is for Rishi (Sunak) to have a good look at this and ask officials to find a way of making it work,” Mr Cameron wrote.

Lobbying controversy

The developments are the latest in a lobbying controversy that has dogged the Conservative former prime minister in recent weeks.

Questions were mounting over his efforts to secure access for the finance company, which later collapsed putting thousands of UK steelmaking jobs at risk.

An ally of Mr Hancock confirmed a drink took place between Mr Cameron, the Health Secretary and the Australian financier in October 2019.

RelatedPosts

Watch: Raab skewered as PM told govt to focus on ‘crime, crime, crime’ on week 126 fines handed out at No 10

PMQs 18th May – Bird crap on the PM as rest of us are left in the sh*t

Watch: First pictures and video of Kenneth Brannagh’s portrayal of Boris Johnson

Michael Fabricant calls on fellow Tory MPs to turn up to PMQs- to prove they’re not the alleged rapist

Mr Greensill’s firm at the time wanted to introduce a flexible scheme to pay doctors and nurses either daily or weekly.

The NHS went on to announce in October last year that Earnd, a mobile app that was then a division of Greensill, would be available free-of-charge to NHS employees to access their pay.

Mr Hancock referred Mr Greensill to work directly with the NHS rather than his department, according to the ally, who insisted the final decision to use the scheme was for local NHS employers.

“Matt acted in entirely the correct way – he updated officials on the business that was discussed, as is appropriate,” the friend said.

“Growing scandal”

Mr Cameron is yet to comment publicly about the “growing scandal”, as Labour has called it.

But a source close to the former prime minister said: “David Cameron was an enthusiastic champion of Greensill’s pay product, Earnd, and met with various people to discuss its rollout across the NHS.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The wellbeing of NHS staff is the top priority of the department and Health Secretary.

“Our approach was and is that local NHS employers are best placed to decide how different pay flexibilities fit with their overall pay and reward offer for their staff.”

Mr Greensill is also yet to comment on the controversy.

A source close to him said: “As part of their corporate social responsibility, Greensill offered Earnd for free to the NHS – that is no charge to employees, and no charge to the NHS either. Greensill met all costs themselves.”

“Come out of hiding”

Meanwhile, it was understood that Mr Cameron’s message to the Prime Minister’s adviser was forwarded on to the Treasury.

But it could not be immediately confirmed whether the lobbying did lead to the Treasury reconsidering its move to reject the loan scheme application.

A No 10 spokesman: “Throughout the pandemic, an immense number of businesses contacted Downing Street with representations; these were passed on to relevant departments.”

This week, it emerged the Chancellor responded to private texts from Mr Cameron saying he had “pushed” officials to consider plans that could have helped Greensill in 2020.

Labour called for Mr Sunak to “come out of hiding” and make a statement to Parliament about the “growing scandal”, and reiterated demands for an investigation.

Shadow chief secretary to the treasury Bridget Phillipson said: “Every day brings fresh revelations about the culture of cronyism at the heart of this Conservative Government.

“Through David Cameron, Greensill looks to have had the run of Government from Number 10 down, including access to millions of pounds of public money.”

Related: Historian blames EU for Northern Ireland violence- saying they made Boris sign the deal

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

UK weeks behind with testing and tracing – NHS Providers

Most expensive English players – New Manchester United man pushes Manchester City player off top spot

26 thoughts only people doing Dry January will have

In pics – Crowds of mourners are gathering for the funeral of Bradley Lowery

Public Health England should not be a ‘scapegoat’

‘I’ve got plenty of room’ – Gary Lineker ‘to welcome refugee to live at his house’

Macron mocks Sunak as Brexit Britain bins tourist tax relief

Now we know: Brexit means Thatcherism on steroids

BREAKING: Oxford University vaccine 70.4% effective against Covid-19

Council bosses apologise to blind woman after she claimed her bins had not been emptied since Sept

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.