A Conservative minister was said to be “insistent” that a decision on a £1bn property development be rushed through before a Tory donor’s company faced millions in taxes, papers reveal.
Robert Jenrick , the housing secretary, bowed to pressure to publish 129 pages of documents relating to the Westferry Printworks development in east London after being accused of “cash for favours” by Labour.
Emails from January show Mr Jenrick was determined to issue a decision the following day to prevent developer Richard Desmond from being forced to pay a new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
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An official wrote: “On timing, my understanding is that SoS [secretary of state] is/was insistent that decision issued this week ie tomorrow – as next week the viability of the scheme is impacted by a change in the London CIL regime.”
Another email said: “LB (London Borough of) Tower Hamlets is adopting a new local plan and CIL regime next week. The appellant (Mr Desmond) believes that the proposal would not be viable if it was liable to CIL charges.”
Mr Jenrick overruled the local authority and the planning inspector to approve the scheme for 1,500 houses in January, only weeks before Mr Desmond personally donated £12,000 to the Conservative Party.
The housing secretary later had to reverse the decision after legal action from the council, conceding the decision was “unlawful by reason of apparent bias”.
Text messages between the pair show Mr Desmond wanted to avoid paying £45m to Tower Hamlets Council and lobbied the cabinet minister to approve the decision before the levy was introduced.
Mr Desmond, a former media mogul, told Mr Jenrick to act so that “Marxists” did not get “doe for nothing”.
The housing secretary admitted in the Commons on Wednesday that he sat next to Mr Desmond at a Conservative Party fundraiser in November, where the Tory donor showed him some images of the development on his phone.
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Tony Bennett the owner of The Devereux pub in Temple, London. Pub and hospitality bosses have cheered the Government’s proposals to allow customers through their doors again on July 4 as “a welcome relief”. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday June 23, 2020. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that pubs, restaurants and cinemas will be able to reopen from July 4, with “one metre-plus” distancing measures in place
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Action Images via Reuters
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Arsenal’s midfielder Nicolas Pepe kneels before the Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion at the American Express Community Stadium in southern England
AFP via Getty
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Bianca Walkden during a training session at the National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester
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7/50 18 June 2020
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures about social distancing alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he arrives at Downing Street for a meeting. Macron also visited London to commemorate the 80th anniversary of former French president Charles de Gaulle’s appeal to French people to resist the Nazi occupation during World War II
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Players kneel, as well as, having ‘Black Lives Matter’ in place of names on their shirts prior to the start of the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United at Villa Park in Birmingham. The league resumed after its three-month suspension because of coronavirus
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PA
10/50 15 June 2020
Queues form at Primark at the Rushden Lakes shopping complex after the government relaxed coronavirus lockdown laws significantly, allowing zoos, safari parks and non-essential shops to open to visitors
Getty
11/50 14 June 2020
A man kneels at a commemoration to mark the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire in London. The fire claimed 72 lives on 14 June 2017
PA
12/50 13 June 2020
Protesters confront police in Whitehall near Parliament Square, during a protest by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance
PA
13/50 12 June 2020
A Black Lives Matter supporter sings to crowds who marched with her in front of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London. The death of an African American man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police has sparked protests across the United States, as well as demonstrations of solidarity in many countries around the world
Getty
14/50 11 June 2020
Scouts show their support at the Lord Baden-Powell statue in Poole. The statue of Robert Baden-Powell on Poole Quay is to be placed in “safe storage” following concerns about his racial views
Getty
15/50 10 June 2020
Social distancing markers around the penguin enclosure at London Zoo. Staff have been preparing and are now ready for reopening next week with new signage, one-way trails for visitors to follow, and extra handwashing and sanitiser stations in place
PA
16/50 9 June 2020
Protestors hold placards and shout slogans during during a protest called by the Rhodes Must Fall campaign calling for the removal of the statue of British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes outside Oriel College, at the University of Oxford
AFP via Getty
17/50 8 June 2020
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PA
18/50 7 June 2020
The Edward Colston statue has been pulled down by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol. Colston was a 17th century slave trader who has numerous landmarks named after him in Bristol
SWNS
19/50 6 June 2020
Children pose for their family in front of discarded placards fixed on a wall in Piccadilly Gardens after a Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Manchester. The death of an African-American man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police has sparked protests across the United States, as well as demonstrations of solidarity in many countries around the world
Getty
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Protesters kneel in Trafalgar Square during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in London, England. The death of an African-American man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police has sparked protests across the United States, as well as demonstrations of solidarity in many countries around the world
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21/50 4 June 2020
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Getty
22/50 3 June 2020
People wearing face masks hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis
Reuters
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Street artist Nath Murdoch touches up his anti-racism mural in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
PA
24/50 1 June 2020
Customers socially distance themselves as they queue to enter Ikea in Warrington. The store opening saw large queues of people and traffic on adjacent roads as it reopened after the lockdown. The furniture and housewares chain reopened its stores across England and Northern Ireland subject to several restrictions, keeping its restaurants closed and asking customers to shop alone
Getty
25/50 31 May 2020
A man wearing a protective face mask kneels in front of police officers during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African-American man George Floyd near the U.S. Embassy, London, Britai
Reuters
26/50 30 May 2020
Visitors at Grassholme Reservoir in Lunedale, Co Durham are able to cross an ancient packhorse bridge as work on the dam wall means water levels have dropped signifcantly to reveal this monument of the pas
UK
27/50 29 May 2020
British Tennis player Maia Lumsden in action at Bridge of Allan Tennis Club. People can meet family and friends outdoors and play sports such as golf and tennis again as the country is moving into phase one of the Scottish Government’s plan for gradually lifting lockdown
PA
28/50 28 May 2020
A police frogman, searches for a weapon in Abington Lake in in Northampton
Getty
29/50 27 May 2020
Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears before the Liaison Committee via Zoom from the cabinet room at 10 Downing Street, amid the coronavirus
10 Downing Street/Reuters
30/50 26 May 2020
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Getty
31/50 25 May 2020
Dominic Cummings, senior aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, makes a statement inside 10 Downing Street, London, over allegations he breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions
AP
32/50 24 May 2020
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Reuters
33/50 23 May 2020
People take a walk near Durdle Door as cows graze in Lulworth
Reuters
34/50 22 May 2020
Waves break onto a wall at Brighton beach
Reuters
35/50 21 May 2020
Cafe owner Francini Osorio serves customers in a trial phase during the coronavirus lockdown. Osorio has installed an air purifier and 35 clear shower curtains, which will divide customers and tables, in the Francini Cafe De Colombia, Worcester, ready for the re-opening of his business as lockdown restrictions are eased
PA
36/50 20 May 2020
People at Bournemouth beach in Dorset, as people flock to parks and beaches with lockdown measures eased. The Met Office has predicted the hottest day of the year
PA
37/50 19 May 2020
A dog jumps into the water as families relax at a Lido in London
AP
38/50 18 May 2020
A fan celebrates outside Celtic Park after Celtic were crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership. Hearts were also relegated after a decision was made to conclude the season with immediate effect
PA
39/50 17 May 2020
People on Brighton beach after the introduction of measures to bring the country out of lockdown
PA
40/50 16 May 2020
Police lead away Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as protesters gather in breach of lockdown rules in Hyde Park in London after the introduction of measures to bring the country out of lockdown.
PA
41/50 15 May 2020
Estonian freelance ballet dancer and choreographer, Eve Mutso performs her daily fitness routine near her home in Glasgow, Scotland
Getty
42/50 14 May 2020
Senior charge nurse Jan Ferguson views artwork “Theatre of Dott’s” by Kate Ive, inspired by Professor Norman Dott and his neurosurgery theatres at the Western General from 1960-2019. It is one of a number of artworks which sit on the walls of NHS Lothians’ Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCN) which has been transferred into a purpose-built new home on the Little France campus in Edinburgh
PA
43/50 13 May 2020
Team GB’s karate athlete Jordan Thomas trains outside his apartment in Manchester
Reuters
44/50 12 May 2020
Nurses from central London hospitals protest on international nurses day about the chronic underfunding of the NHS and other issues surrounding the health service outside the gates of Downing Street, London
PA
45/50 11 May 2020
Waves crash at Tynemouth pier on the North East coast
PA
46/50 10 May 2020
A woman passes street art and a poster in East London
Reuters
47/50 9 May 2020
Police patrol the beach in Brighton
Getty
48/50 8 May 2020
The British Royal Air Force Red Arrows conduct a fly past over the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in London to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) in Britain
MOD/Reuters
49/50 7 May 2020
Team GB sailor Eilidh McIntyre during a training session at her home in Portsmouth
Reuters
50/50 6 May 2020
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer listens to Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking during PMQs
UK Parliament/AFP/Getty
In a text to Mr Desmond on 18 November, Mr Jenrick said: “Good to spend time with you tonight Richard. See you again soon I hope.”
Mr Desmond replied: “Thanks Robert I really appreciate your text. Will call your office tomorrow to arrange Very best.”
In a text two days later regarding the development, Mr Desmond said: “We appreciate the speed as we don’t want to give Marxists loads of doe for nothing!
“We all want to go with the scheme and the social housing we have proposed and spent a month at the Marxist town hall debating, thanks again, all my best Richard.”
Later messages show Mr Desmond repeatedly lobbied the cabinet minister over the development and tried to organise a site visit.
According to the documents, the March site visit did not take place and no further communication followed because Mr Jenrick “did not take Mr Desmond’s calls” when he attempted to get in contact “on a number of occasions”.
The row casts doubt over Mr Jenrick’s future, with opposition politicians saying his position has become “untenable”.
However Cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill wrote to Labour on Wednesday night, saying Boris Johnson believed ”the matter is closed”.
Shadow housing secretary Steve Reed said the explosive documents showed “clear discrepancies” over Mr Jenrick’s claim that he shut down discussions with Mr Desmond and the speed by which the decision was rushed through.
He said: “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.”
SNP housing spokesman David Linden said: “The entire episode reeks of an abuse of position and power, and it’s clear that Jenrick must stand down and allow for a full and independent investigation into his ‘unlawful’ dealings with the billionaire property developer and Tory donor.”
Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Layla Moran said his position was now “completely untenable”.
“This whole grubby saga netted the Conservative party only £12,000, but could have helped Richard Desmond save up to £50 million,” she said.
“The public will be appalled at what looks like a clear abuse of power. Robert Jenrick must go and the Conservative Party must hand back this donation.”
