David Cameron is being grilled by MPs over his relentless efforts to secure government loans for the now collapsed financial firm Greensill Capital.
Mr Cameron is appearing in public for the first time since the story broke in March. He is being questioned by parliament’s powerful Treasury Select Committee.
Later today, the embattled former prime minister faces the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Labour MP Meg Hillier.
Elsewhere, Downing Street has said a county court judgement issued against Boris Johnson over an unpaid debt of £535 is “totally without merit”, Downing Street has said.
On Wednesday Private Eye revealed a record existed for “Boris Johnson, 10 Downing Street” due to a debt that is still “unsatisfied” more than six months later.
Records show the judgement was issued over a claim of alleged defamation against prime minister. No 10 says it will apply for an order to “set aside the default judgment, to strike out the claim and for a declaration that the claim is “totally without merit.”
Cameron: Ex-PM denies he lobbied officials over fears he would lose out financially if firm went under
Mr Cameron has denied that he lobbied ministers and officials on behalf of Greensill Capital because he feared he would lose out financially if the firm went under.
Treasury Committee chairman Mel Stride told Mr Cameron he had sent a “barrage” of texts and messages in the spring of last year when the pandemic broke.
“Many people would conclude at the time of your lobbying your opportunity to make a large amount of money was under threat,” he said.
Mr Cameron replied: “I have spent most of my adult life in public service. I believe in it deeply. I would never put forward something that I didn’t believe was absolutely in the interests of the public good.
“I did not believe in March or April last year when I was doing this contact there was a risk of Greensill falling over.”
SNP’s independence referendum bid now in the hands of lawyers, says Tory minister
The SNP’s plan to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence will be a matter for “law officers” to decide on, a Conservative cabinet minister has claimed.
My colleague Adam Forrest reports:
Cameron denies £60m figure, refuses to say how much he was set to gain from firm’s success
“I was paid an annual amount, a generous annual amount, far more than what I earned as prime minister, and I had, shares, not share options but shares in the business, which vested over the period of time of my contract.”
He continued: “I had a big economic investment in the future of Greensill, so I wanted the business to succeed, I wanted it to grow.”
“The fact that I have this economic interest in a serious economic interest that’s important, but I don’t think the amount is particularly germane to answering those questions, and as far as I’m concerned it’s a private matter.”
Our politics editors Andrew Woodcock and Rob Merrick have more details:
Cameron: Former PM confirms he attended Greensill board meetings before and during pandemic
Although he was was not a director of Greensill Capital, Mr Cameron confirmed he had an open invitation to board meetings and attended regularly.
When asked if he attended meetings up to and during the Covid-19 pandemic, and whether he took part in any discussions during this time, Mr Cameron said he did so but only spoke about “geopolitical matters and such like”.
There were other board meetings, involving the firm’s credit and risk committees, that were for directors only, which he says he didn’t attend.
Former PM “doesn’t recall” talking part in discussions on how the pandemic might affect Greensill.
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Cameron: It was never my intention to lobby the government
Mr Cameron said he was never employed by Greensill as a lobbyist and never intended to carry out such activites for the company, but that the Covid pandemic was a game-changer.
He said that, in April last year, that he had “no sense at all” that the business was in danger of collapse.
Cameron: This is a ‘painful day’
In his opening statement, former PM said it is a “painful day” to be virtually back in HoC in the circumstances.
He said he was happy to cooperate with the committee and insisted he followed all the rules.
Former PM says he wanted to carve out a career as lobbyist after life in No 10, as well as helping out with charitable causes.
‘I’m v free’: David Cameron’s texts to ministers and officials
David Cameron was once one of the most powerful men in the world, now he is “v free”…except for this afternoon.
Here is a look back at just some of the texts he sent to ministers and officials while lobbying for Greensill.
To Sir Tom Scholar, the Treasury’s most senior civil servant : “I am riding to the rescue with Supply Chain Finance with my friend Lex Greensill…See you with Rishi for an elbow bump or foot tap. Love Dc.”
To Cabinet minister Michael Gove: “I know you are manically busy – and doing a great job, by the way (this is bloody hard and I think the team is coping extremely well. But do you have a moment for a word? I am on this number and v free. All good wishes Dc.”
Johnson will write letters of apology to Ballymurphy families
Boris Johnson will apologise to the families of those shot dead by the Army fifty years ago in west Belfast.
The prime minister is to write letters to the relatives of the ten people killed in what became known locally as the Ballymurphy Massacre.
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis made a public apology on behalf of the government in the House of Commons on Thursday.
He said: “I want to put on record the government’s acknowledgment of the terrible hurt that has been caused to the families.
“The events at Ballymurphy should never have happened. The families of those who were killed should never have had to experience the grief and trauma of that loss.”
Sleaze allegation over former Tory chair’s role in PPE contract
Labour has accused the government of “contract cronyism” after it emerged that a former chair of the Conservative Party urged the Cabinet Office to buy PPE equipment from a private client at a time when he was advising a health minister.
Our politics editor Andrew Woodcock has more details:
