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Post by northwestman on Jun 20, 2020 13:31:24 GMT 1
www.propertyweek.com/news/ties-between-government-and-lobbying-firm-come-under-scrutiny-amid-1bn-richard-desmond-planning-controversy/5108559.articleBoris Johnson’s government is facing calls to clarify its relationship with a lobbying firm linked to a Tory donor’s £1bn property development that was given the controversial go-ahead by communities secretary Robert Jenrick. The approval granted by Jenrick to Richard Desmond’s project the day before a community levy would have been imposed saved the former newspaper magnate £40m, and has prompted “cash-for-favours” accusations. Now leading opposition MPs are raising questions over the relationship between Thorncliffe, a public affairs company which has had Desmond’s Westferry Development listed as one of its clients, and senior Downing Street figures.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 20, 2020 14:41:44 GMT 1
I can't get the full text of this story so far, as it's behind a Times paywall. But I'm on the case.
'Robert Jenrick used company in ‘unusual funding’ of £800,000 renovations'.
'Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, and his wife spent more than £800,000 to renovate a £2.6 million townhouse, corporate documents reveal'.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 20, 2020 15:54:51 GMT 1
Apparently, the revelations of how Robert Jenrick bent over backwards for a billionaire Tory donor in the growing ‘cash-for-favours’ Westferry scandal will now be the subject of a full debate in Parliament next Wednesday.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 8:56:52 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 14:16:34 GMT 1
www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/21/jenrick-under-growing-pressure-after-fresh-desmond-revelationLabour will step up the pressure this week on the embattled communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, after it emerged that he viewed a promotional video for a £1bn property development before overruling officials to approve it. According to a report in the Sunday Times, the property developer Richard Desmond showed Jenrick the video on his phone when the pair sat next to each other at a Conservative party fundraising dinner. Labour will use the opportunity of a three-hour opposition day debate on Wednesday to discuss the controversy.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 14:44:13 GMT 1
Blatant lies by Hancock. I watched the whole thing. If 10 minutes were spent on the issue of Jenrick's approval of the Westferry Printworks development, I'd be surprised. Although an hour had been allocated for questions, half of that time wasn't Jenrick answering. It was his Ministers.
And in the half hour he was on his feet, the questions he fielded were overwhelmingly from Conservative plants, and none were on this subject.
" defending his Cabinet colleague, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he believed Mr Jenrick's behaviour was "reasonable".
Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on the BBC, he said: "Mr Jenrick answered questions for an hour in the House of Commons this week and I think he's put out a statement about this which is perfectly reasonable.
"He was put on a table with Mr Desmond.
"He didn't know that was where he was sitting before, so I think his explanation is entirely reasonable."
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 15:04:19 GMT 1
"Mr Jenrick answered questions for an hour in the House of Commons this week".
A clearer example of obfuscation you could not get. It suggests Jenrick spent an hour justifying his position. He didn't. Nearly all the questions were on other matters, and he was only on his feet for half an hour.
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Post by staffordshrew on Jun 21, 2020 15:34:05 GMT 1
They do appear to be queueing up to be the scapegoat for a ritualtistic hanging out to dry. Who is the least vauable to Boris and can take away the most scandel? My money is on it being Jenrick, with Hancock parcelled off later in a reshuffle.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 15:58:54 GMT 1
They do appear to be queueing up to be the scapegoat for a ritualtistic hanging out to dry. Who is the least vauable to Boris and can take away the most scandel? My money is on it being Jenrick, with Hancock parcelled off later in a reshuffle. Williamson must surely be in the frame for not delivering on the schools, whilst both Patel and Truss are no longer on Cummings' Xmas card list (if they ever were) for not coming out to back him over his Durham escapades. Villiers not backing chlorinated chicken or hormone filled beef should also go against her. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2020 16:20:58 GMT 1
They do appear to be queueing up to be the scapegoat for a ritualtistic hanging out to dry. Who is the least vauable to Boris and can take away the most scandel? My money is on it being Jenrick, with Hancock parcelled off later in a reshuffle. Interesting . My own personal view is that Jenrick is dispensable , no great loss and he could be moved into some backwater . Hancock is another animal altogether , he knows who said what and when . I think they will keep him onside - for the time being . It’s been said that Johnson will consider who has performed well during this crisis . The likes of Coffey and Williamson are at risk but those two giants Hunt and Fox could return to Cabinet . Meanwhile failing Grayling and the Cheese women Truss are swirling around somewhere . As International Trade Secretary Truss’ turn in the spotlight will come as she negotiates trade deals with America , The dumping of UK welfare standards could be on the cards . As 90% of American beef cattle has been fed with growth hormones and nearly all chicken washed in chlorinate to make up for poor welfare standards I can see battles ahead . As Liz herself would say ... “ and that’s a disgrace “. |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 16:26:29 GMT 1
They do appear to be queueing up to be the scapegoat for a ritualtistic hanging out to dry. Who is the least vauable to Boris and can take away the most scandel? My money is on it being Jenrick, with Hancock parcelled off later in a reshuffle. It’s been said that Johnson will consider who has performed well during this crisis . He'll be replacing himself then? Seriously, apart from Sunak, (who No 10 are now worrying about making a power grab) who else has performed well? |
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Post by staffordshrew on Jun 21, 2020 16:28:00 GMT 1
They do appear to be queueing up to be the scapegoat for a ritualtistic hanging out to dry. Who is the least vauable to Boris and can take away the most scandel? My money is on it being Jenrick, with Hancock parcelled off later in a reshuffle. Williamson must surely be in the frame for not delivering on the schools, whilst both Patel and Truss are no longer on Cummings' Xmas card list (if they ever were) for not coming out to back him over his Durham escapades. Villiers not backing chlorinated chicken or hormone filled beef should also go against her. Oh dear, what with Boris not returning from having the virus with any renewed vigour, the whole lot are looking a little lacking. They also have to bear in mind that a new group of voters gave them power in previously Labour heartlands. They are not going to settle for IDS type Toryism and Gove's just slimy, a new more socially minded, honest, Tory government might be what's needed It reminds me of when the country voted for the Tories to tame the unions, when they meant Red Robbie and Scargill, not their unions like local government and the teachers. |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 21, 2020 16:41:11 GMT 1
My oversight. Villiers has already gone.
Villiers was appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by Boris Johnson upon him becoming Prime Minister in July 2019. She left the government in the post-Brexit cabinet reshuffle.
In June 2020 The Times newspaper reported that the hold up in the formation of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament since the 2019 United Kingdom general election had been due to Villier's appointment having been dismissed by the Prime Minister for her defiance of the Government's whip on a vote where she supported an amendment which would have banned the import of chlorinated chicken products from the USA in upcoming post-Brexit trade negotiations.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2020 17:11:36 GMT 1
I see The Mail on Sunday have an article by the ex- Supreme Court judge Lord Jonathan Sumption .
He’s said his piece on the coronavirus crisis and now says that you have to go back to the 1930’s to find a Cabinet as devoid of talent as this one .
In his opening paragraph he says “this crisis has exposed something different and disturbing , a dysfunctional Government with a deep seated incoherence at the heart of its decision making processes .
The root of the problem is the uncomfortable relationship between Government and its scientific advisers .”
Don’t think many can argue with that . As time goes on I can only see things getting worse .
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Post by northwestman on Jun 22, 2020 13:35:23 GMT 1
www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/jenrick-facing-questions-over-holocaust-memorial-call-in/10047379.article'Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has been accused of another potential abuse of ministerial planning powers after it emerged he met key backers of the proposed Holocaust Memorial before calling it in. The minister is already under fire for his unlawful decision to give planning permission to PLP’s Westferry Printworks against the advice of his planning inspector and following lobbying from the developer, Conservative party donor Richard Desmond. But Jenrick now faces a judicial review and parliamentary scrutiny over his decision to call-in the Holocaust Memorial project for ministerial determination on 5 November, hours before Parliament was dissolved for the December general election'. Jenrick clearly thinks he can do whatever he wants. Fortunately, the Courts may take a different view, and have already done so with regards to his approval of the Westferry Printworks application.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 22, 2020 16:23:00 GMT 1
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Post by staffordshrew on Jun 22, 2020 17:00:44 GMT 1
Problems? He's brought them upon himself. Surely everyone in politics knows the scrutiny they are under and the need to keep away from potential scandel? |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 8:04:28 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 9:05:52 GMT 1
The housing secretary is facing fresh scrutiny over his use of planning powers after he intervened in a development project backed by prominent Conservatives and party donors.
Robert Jenrick has used his ministerial planning powers to recover an appeal by Britain’s largest horse-racing organisation, the Jockey Club, for its development of 318 homes and a hotel at the Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey.
The Jockey Club launched its appeal after Elmbridge borough council rejected the application because it was on green-belt land and would deliver only 20 per cent affordable housing, against its target of between 40 and 50 per cent.
Normally, an appeal would be decided by the government’s planning inspectorate. Mr Jenrick has intervened to recover the appeal and determine it. In a letter to the local authority, seen by The Times, the reason given was that the appeal related to proposals for significant development within the green belt. That means that instead of a government planning inspector writing a decision, the inspector will prepare a report, which will be forwarded to the minister to inform his decision.
The intervention has raised concerns about conflicts of interest given the Jockey Club’s links to senior Conservative figures and donors. The club’s board includes Baroness Harding, the Conservative peer in charge of the government’s Covid-19 tracing app, and Rose Paterson, wife of the Conservative MP Owen Paterson. It also includes Peter Stanley, who donated £5,000 to Matt Hancock’s constituency office in Newmarket, home to the Jockey Club’s headquarters, last year.
Tim Syder, a racehorse owner, gave the Conservative Party £12,500 last November, shortly before he joined the Jockey Club board. Councillor Richard Williams, of Esher residents’ association, said that it was “alarming” that the future of the site was being taken out of local people’s hands. “We should be convincing the inspector of our case, not a minister,” he said.
Mr Jenrick is embroiled in a “cash-for-favours” planning row over his decision to approve a £1 billion development proposed by Richard Desmond, a Tory donor. He overruled a planning inspector and gave the scheme the go-ahead in January, one day before Tower Hamlets council was due to vote on a rule change that would have left Mr Desmond with a £40 million community charge bill. In that case, it emerged yesterday, government lawyers tried to dismiss the council’s legal challenge to Mr Jenrick’s decision weeks before he conceded that he had acted unlawfully.
The Jockey Club has argued that the Sandown scheme constitutes appropriate development. A spokesman said: “We trust that whoever determines the appeal will do so based on planning considerations only. We believe that our application has considerable merit and offers local social and economic benefits.” The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Each planning appeal is taken on its own merits.”
The Times.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 9:16:00 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 12:20:28 GMT 1
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Post by staffordshrew on Jun 23, 2020 12:28:27 GMT 1
A charitable view is that he's stupid, otherwise he's a complete rogue. Either way he looks like a dead duck that should not remain in the job, but in this government he probably will. |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 12:56:31 GMT 1
I nominate Northwestman to carry out further investigation into this matter on behalf of the people and report back to this forum. This is not as complex a case as Mr Dale of Bury but is of national importance. As you can gather from my subsequent posts, this has now turned out to be just as complex a case, and with every passing day the charge sheet against Jenrick lengthens. |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 13:00:13 GMT 1
A charitable view is that he's stupid, otherwise he's a complete rogue. Either way he looks like a dead duck that should not remain in the job, but in this government he probably will. He certainly mixes with rogues. Look up Gerald Ronson on Wiki. 'Ronson became notorious in the UK as one of the Guinness Four for his involvement in the Guinness share-trading fraud of the 1980s. He was convicted in August 1990 of one charge of conspiracy, two of false accounting, and one of theft, and was fined £5 million and given a one-year jail sentence, of which he served six months'. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ronson |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 16:32:46 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on Jun 23, 2020 16:45:22 GMT 1
Jenrick won't be in Matt Hancock's good books either. www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/23/hancock-tried-to-block-plan-to-build-400-homes-in-newmarketThe health secretary, Matt Hancock, repeatedly urged fellow Conservative ministers to block a plan to build 400 homes and a primary school in his constituency, claiming it would damage the horse racing industry. His opposition to the development came as senior figures in horse racing leading the opposition made financial donations to him. Rachel Hood, the then Conservative mayor of Newmarket, and her husband, John Gosden, a prominent horseracing trainer who gave evidence opposing the scheme at the public inquiry, each gave Hancock £10,000 in December 2018 and May last year respectively. Tattersalls, the Newmarket-based racehorse valuers and auctioneers, who were also prominent opponents of the housing development on behalf of the racing industry, have consistently donated money to Hancock’s office, including £15,000 in May 2010 when he was first elected as MP for the West Suffolk constituency, and £10,000 in May last year. Hancock wrote to the current communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, in September, attaching the legal case made by the horse racing industry to oppose the scheme. On 12 March, however, Jenrick accepted the inspector’s recommendation and finally approved the development. |
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Post by northwestman on Jun 24, 2020 7:53:51 GMT 1
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8453471/Housing-secretary-extension-2-6m-London-townhouse-allowed-despite-numerous-objections.html#commentsThe minister for housing, communities and local government had an extension to his £2.6million London townhouse pushed through by local Conservative councillors despite objections, it has been revealed. This would be his 2nd home of course, as despite his wife working in London and his children going to school there, they must obviously commute 150 miles every day from his 'family home' in Herefordshire. Or so he'd have you believe. And then there's the small matter of his house in his constituency of Newark, for which he bills the taxpayer £2,000 a month rent.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 24, 2020 8:12:15 GMT 1
Jenrick trained as a corporate lawyer and, from 2006 to 2008, worked at law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom where – according to his own website – “he practised law, advising businesses and financial institutions on corporate law in London and Moscow”.
Skadden, a law firm based in New York, did work for Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs, including Mikhail Fridman, the Ukrainian-born co-founder of Alfa Group; and Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner.
Another Skadden lawyer who worked for Gennadiy Bogolyubov, a Ukrainian oligarch worth billions, was Michal Berkner, who just so happens to be Jenrick’s wife.
It has to be asked whether Jenrick’s past associates in Moscow form part of the Russia Report, the investigation by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee into whether oligarchs close to the Kremlin have bought influence in British politics.
The Prime Minister sat on the report before December’s General Election and, for the moment, issues about the formation of the committee have prevented its publication, allegedly.
Byline Times.
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Post by northwestman on Jun 24, 2020 8:42:06 GMT 1
Jenrick's own webpage only mentioned the Newark and London homes - "Robert is married to Michal, and together they have three young daughters. They live in Southwell near Newark, and in London". Thus as far as his own electorate is concerned, Jenrick wished to indicate that these are his 2 main residences, which at the very least relegates his Herefordshire property to 2nd home status.
Surprise, surprise, his webpage has now been edited, and the sentence 'they live in Southwell near Newark, and in London' has been removed. He has form for doing this: 'The article about Jenrick on Wikipedia was one of a number edited in May 2015 by computers owned by Parliament in what The Daily Telegraph described as "a deliberate attempt to hide embarrassing information from the electorate"'
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Post by northwestman on Jun 24, 2020 9:03:16 GMT 1
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