The SNP has written to the Cabinet Secretary, and the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, over growing concerns about the Labour government’s ‘cash for access’ scandal – warning “there is a growing stench of sleaze from this Labour government and public anger on this issue is not going away.
People expect transparency and accountability – and that is why a full inquiry into the Labour government’s cash for access scandal is required.”
It comes after the Labour Party offered businesses exclusive access to Labour government Business Secretary Johnathan Reynolds MP in exchange for £30,000.
According to reports in The Sun, the party offered businesses the chance to meet with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade at The Ivy, and get a photo together, for £15,000.
Alternatively, for £30,000 the businesses were able to choose the guest list for the meeting to discuss UK government business policy.
It follows concerns that Lord Alli was given a Downing Street security pass after donating thousands of pounds of freebies to Keir Starmer, despite having no role in government.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times has reported the wife of Labour Party donor Dale Vince, who gave more than £1million to the party, has claimed that the businessman anticipates being given a peerage or knighthood after he bankrolled Sir Keir Starmer’s general election campaign.
Separately, it has emerged that Labour Cabinet ministers have accepted over £800,000 of freebies and donations over the past year alone, including donations from organisations with lobbying interests.
It includes donations to Health Secretary Wes Streeting from organisations with links to private health firms ahead of calls to increase the use of the private sector in the NHS, donations to the Business Secretary from Google and Youtube, ahead of a Labour U-turn on plans to increase the Digital Services Tax to 10%, and donations from the gambling sector to to the Chancellor.
In his letter, SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson Brendan O’Hara MP writes:
“Dear Cabinet Secretary, Sir Laurie Magnus,
“Further to my letter on 26th September, I am compelled to write to you again following new reports that the Labour Party has offered businesses exclusive access to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade in exchange for cash.
“According to reports in The Sun newspaper, businesses were told by the Labour Party that if they paid £15,000 they could meet and get a photo with the Secretary of State, Johnathan Reynolds MP, and that for £30,000 they could determine what other businesses were invited to meet the Secretary of State to discuss UK government business policy.
“Yet again, this raises serious concerns about the sleazy conduct of Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which seems to be using its position to benefit its own financial interests, and appears to be in breach of the Ministerial Code and the Nolan Principles of Public Life.
“Concern over the Labour Party ‘cash for access’ scandal is growing every day, with more grubby details emerging that suggest donors are getting special access and influence over the Labour government in exchange for cash and gifts.
“In addition to the above, there have been reports that:
- Lord Alli was handed a Downing Street security pass after giving thousands of pounds of gifts and donations to Keir Starmer, senior Labour cabinet ministers and the son of Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray. Lord Alli has no government role and we still do not know why he was given the pass, what it was used for, what meetings and work he undertook in Downing Street, and why it was rescinded if it was ‘all above board’.
- Labour government ministers have received more than £800,000 of freebies and donations over the past year alone, including from organisations with an interest in the Health Secretary’s position on opening the NHS up to creeping privatisation, and the Chancellor and Business Secretary’s position on the Digital Services Tax, among others.
- The Prime Minister and Labour government ministers have continued to accept gifts from lobbying organisations and interest groups while in government – and only some of these have been repaid, with no clear reasoning for the differentiation between donations.
- The wife of a Labour donor who gave more than £1million to the party, has claimed in the High Court that the donor anticipates being given a peerage or knighthood after he bankrolled Sir Keir Starmer’s general election campaign.
- The Labour Party took £4million from a Cayman Islands-registered hedge fund with shares worth hundreds of millions of pounds in fossil fuels, private health firms, arms manufacturers and asset managers.Â
There is a growing stench of sleaze from this Labour government and public anger on this issue is not going away. People expect transparency and accountability – and that is why a full inquiry into the Labour government cash for access scandal is required.
I would again outline the relevant sections of the Ministerial code and the Nolan Principles of Public Life, which all UK government ministers must abide by:
“Section 1.1 of the Ministerial Code states:
1.1 Ministers of the Crown are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.
“Section 1.3 of the Ministerial Code is clear that:
“f. Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests;
“g. Ministers should not accept any gift or hospitality which might, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an improper obligation;
“i. Ministers must not use government resources for party political purposes;
“Point 1.1 to 1.3 of The Seven Principles of Public Life state that:
“1.1 Selflessness – Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
“1.2 Integrity – Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
“1.3 Objectivity – Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
“There are serious questions over whether the Ministerial Code and Nolan Principles of public Life have been breached in letter and spirit.
“I would, again, urge you to launch an investigation into this Labour cash for access scandal and shine a light on what has been going on at the heart of the UK government.
“Yours sincerely,
“Brendan O’Hara MP
SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson”
