Zac Goldsmith did not declare family interest in green grant cuts

Last Updated: April 15, 2016By
Zac Goldsmith has promised voters he will build a ‘solar revolution’ in London if he becomes mayor [Image: Carl Court/Getty Images].

Zac Goldsmith has promised voters he will build a ‘solar revolution’ in London if he becomes mayor [Image: Carl Court/Getty Images].

Coming so soon after This Blog revealed David Cameron’s indirect interest in his wife’s “field in Scunthorpe” that could bring hundreds of thousands of pounds to them thanks to his planning law changes, this revelation shows that they really are “all in it together”.

It seems if you elect a Conservative to Parliament, they will set about improving their own personal prospects, and throw all their constituents to the dogs.

Londoners: Do you really want such a person as Mayor (after the last one)?

The Conservative [London] mayoral candidate asked questions in parliament about cuts in green grants that affected solar energy companies owned by his younger brother, but did not declare an indirect interest.

Zac Goldsmith put down six questions between November 2011 and February 2012 after the government announced it would slash subsidies to the solar industry. Goldsmith warned MPs that there was panic in the industry over ministers’ plans.

His younger brother, Ben, a venture capitalist, had personally invested in one solar energy firm Engensa, which described the cuts as unacceptable. Ben Goldsmith’s investment fund, WHEB, also owned a quarter of Engensa’s software partner, PassivSystems, a firm valued at £40m in 2014.

Zac Goldsmith also has a personal stake in a separate £24m investment fund run by WHEB and by 2011 his younger brother had donated £15,000 to his parliamentary office, according to the Commons’ register of members’ interests. Despite these links, the Tory MP did not declare his brother’s interests when intervening in the Commons.

Parliamentary rules at the time stated MPs should declare “any past, present or expected future financial interest, direct or indirect … when a member is making a speech in the House or in committee or participating in any other proceedings of the House”, that might “reasonably be thought by others to influence the speech, representation or communication in question”.

It goes on to say that the declaration should be “brief but should make specific reference to the nature of the interest”.

Source: Zac Goldsmith did not declare family interest in green grant cuts | Politics | The Guardian

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3 Comments

  1. Chris Bergin. April 15, 2016 at 3:56 pm - Reply

    Surely in that case large numbers of MPs with link to or financial interests in Healthcare companien should disqualify themselves from matters to do with provision of health care. Voting for their own profit seems to be the motive for this bunch of unspeakables.

    • Mike Sivier April 16, 2016 at 9:51 pm - Reply

      Yup. They never do, though.

  2. NMac April 19, 2016 at 7:54 am - Reply

    As I have said before, Goldsmith is just another extremely corrupt and hypocritical Tory.

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