Labour’s Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Angela
Rayner, has today written to to ask her to investigate
the Prime Minister’s failure to declare donations used to pay for
the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
This follows evidence submitted to the Electoral Commission’s
investigation which contradicted the Prime Minister’s account of
how the work was paid for. claimed he did not know who
was paying for the refurbishment - while he was messaging the
donor asking for more money. Rayner writes: “Revelations in
the Electoral Commission's report call into question the conduct
of the Prime Minister in relation to the Ministerial Code. It is
clear that the Prime Minister misled the public, along with the
independent adviser, when he told during his investigation that
he was unaware of the donations until February
2021.”
As well as breaking electoral law, the Prime Minister appears to
have breached the Members’ Code of Conduct which incorporate the
Nolan Principles of Standards in Public Life including
accountability, openness and honesty.
Ends
Full letter below:
Dear ,
I write regarding today’s finding by the Electoral Commission
that the Conservative Party broke the law by failing to properly
declare donations towards the refurbishment of the Prime
Minister’s flat in Downing Street.
In our previous correspondence, you confirmed that you would wait
for the result of the Electoral Commission's investigation before
taking any further action. Given the Commission’s finding of a
clear breach of the law, I write to request an immediate
investigation into the conduct of the Prime Minister in this
scandal.
Today’s report demonstrates that the Prime Minister has failed to
declare donations which appears to put him in clear breach of the
Members’ Code of Conduct as well as the Conservative Party having
breached its own legal obligations.
I am concerned, although not entirely surprised, by the Prime
Minister’s additional failure to properly disclose these
donations towards the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat in
his declaration of Ministerial interests.
Revelations in the Electoral Commission's report call into
question the conduct of the Prime Minister in relation to the
Ministerial Code. It is clear that the Prime Minister misled the
public, along with the independent adviser, when he told during his investigation that
he was unaware of the donations until February
2021. Today’s investigation report reveals that the Prime
Minister messaged via WhatsApp on 29 November
2020, asking him to authorise more money towards the
refurbishment works on the residence. This shows that the Prime
Minister is in flagrant breach of both the Members’ Code of
Conduct and the Ministerial Code.
The Ministerial Code clearly states: ‘Ministers should be as open
as possible with Parliament and the public’. This has not
happened.
The Members’ Code of Conduct incorporates the seven ‘Nolan
Principles’ for standards of public life: selflessness,
integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and
leadership. With these principles in mind, I hope you will
undertake an investigation to determine whether the Prime
Minister did in fact breach the Members’ Code of Conduct in this
case.
Yours sincerely,
Rt Hon
Deputy Leader of HM Opposition
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Ends
· The Member’s code of
conduct sets a Threshold for
registration:Members must register, subject
to the paragraphs below, any gifts, benefits or hospitality with
a value of over £300 which they receive from a UK source. They
must also register multiple benefits from the same source if
these have a value of more than £300 in a calendar year.3023.Under
this category Members must register: Any benefits which relate in
any way to their membership of the House or political activities,
if provided by a UK source either free or at concessionary rates,
including:31
a)event or travel tickets;32
b)hospitality in the UK, including receptions, meals and
accommodation;
c)gifts such as clothing or jewellery;
d)club subscriptions and memberships;
e)loans or credit arrangements;
f)discount cards.
See paragraph 27 below for guidance on the registration of
benefits given to others.
24.Before accepting any benefit over £500 which would require
registration in this category, (including a credit facility or a
loan which exceeds £500 in value) Members are required to satisfy
themselves that it is from a permissible donor, and to notify the
Electoral Commission within 30 days of any impermissible
donations.
