Labour will today call a House of Commons vote to force the
Government to release all documents relating to the Westferry
Printworks Development scandal. Housing Secretary unlawfully approved the
application in January 2020, overruling Tower Hamlets Council and
his own planning inspector.
Jenrick made the decision one
day before a new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) came into
force saving the developer, Conservative Party donor Richard
Desmond, up to £50m. Jenrick also over-ruled his advisors to
reduce the amount of affordable housing in the development saving
Desmond a further £106m. Two weeks after
Jenrick forced the decision through, Desmond made a £12,000
donation to the Conservative Party.
Faced with a judicial review brought by the council,
Jenrick later quashed his own decision admitting it was unlawful
due to “apparent bias”. This highly unusual move meant Jenrick
avoided publishing all documents in open court that would have
revealed the true reasons behind his decision.
It later emerged that Jenrick had sat next to Desmond and
four senior executives of his company Northern and Shell, at an
exclusive Conservative Party fundraising dinner in November
2019.
Jenrick told the House of Commons he did not discuss the
application with Desmond, but Desmond claims Jenrick viewed a
promotional video about the development on the property tycoon’s
mobile phone. Ministers are not permitted to take part in
planning decisions if the applicant has lobbied them.
, Labour’s Communities and
Local Government Secretary, said:
“The Secretary of State has admitted he knew his unlawful,
biased decision to approve Richard Desmond’s property
deal would save the Conservative Party donor up to £150
million, but there are still far too many questions left
unanswered.
“It is essential the Government maintains public trust
during the coronavirus crisis. and now Westferry have
severely tested this – the Government’s moral authority hangs by
a thread.
“If the Secretary of State has nothing to hide then he has
nothing to fear from publishing these documents.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
Westferry Printworks Development
Steve Reed
That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that
she will be graciously pleased to give direction to Minister to
provide all correspondence, including submissions and electronic
communications, involving Ministers and Special Advisers
pertaining to the Westferry Printworks Development and the
subsequent decision by the Secretary of State to approve its
planning application at appeal to the Housing, Communities and
Local Government Select Committee.
-
told the House of Commons
that he did not discuss the Westferry Printworks Development
application at the dinner.
(Brentford and Isleworth)
(Lab)
On the Westferry development, the Secretary of State has
just told the House that the Department was advised of the
conversation with Richard Desmond at the fundraising dinner
before he overruled his own planning inspector to approve the
Westferry development, but a whistleblower in the Department says
that there is no record of the dinner appearing in official
documents. That is potentially a serious breach of the
ministerial code, especially as the Secretary of State himself
has just admitted that it is a highly contentious application.
Will he now confirm when and how he advised the Department of the
meeting, given the question of bias that this issue
raises? [903229]
I am sorry to disappoint the hon. Lady with her
pre-prepared question, but as she will have heard in my answer a
few moments ago, the Department was fully informed of my
attendance at the event. I discussed with my officials that the
applicant had raised the matter. I advised the applicant that I
was not able to discuss it, so I think I have answered her
question comprehensively.
Source: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-06-15/debates/FA8B1886-CDC0-44A2-AC6D-5FF361B1620D/TopicalQuestions#contribution-2A499034-0A56-41A5-8FBF-E99D097B448A
-
watched housing promo
video on Richard Desmond’s phone
Source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/robert-jenrick-watched-housing-promo-video-on-richard-desmonds-phone-bqb0s8kz2
