Business dealings of Tory donors could be wiped from official records

Last Updated: August 16, 2016By
Chancellor Philip Hammond is among ministers whose former business interests could be obscured from public view [Image: PA].

Chancellor Philip Hammond is among ministers whose former business interests could be obscured from public view [Image: PA].

Of course conflicts of interest will go undiscovered if this Tory plan is put into action – that’s the whole point.

While Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour actually campaigns for transparency and to put power in the hands of ordinary people, Theresa May’s Tories are trying to cover up their own corruption.

Companies House keeps a publicly accessible database on every UK firm, with details of accounts, directors and shareholders – and there are plans to cut the time that details of dissolved companies are kept from 20 years to just six, leading to the potential loss of 2.5 million records.

Police, journalists and bank compliance teams all make use of the data.

According to the Independent, “If implemented, the plans would see records relating to 24 current ministers’ involvement with dissolved companies wiped or soon wiped, including Mr Hammond’s links to real estate firms.

“Ms Rudd’s connection to a management consultancy dissolved in 2010 would be wiped. Mr Hunt’s links to manufacturing and publishing firms would also soon be unavailable for public viewing.

“Boris Johnson’s involvement in the now dissolved London Climate Change Agency, connected to his time as Mayor of London, would also be wiped.

“Records relating to former Barings banker Andrew Fraser, who donated £2.5m to the party during Mr Cameron’s premiership, would also be wiped.

“There was outrage earlier this month when political opponents attacked Mr Cameron’s resignation honours list, claiming the former Prime Minister had handed rewards to friends and political connections including Mr Fraser.

“Other donors who could have records cleared include Michael Spencer, who gave £5m to the party, and Lord Michael Farmer, who donated about £8.5m.”

The plan is to stop ordinary people being able to check MPs’ previous business records, to see if they have undeclared interests in matters before Parliament.

Clearly, this opens up Parliament to new possibilities of corruption – which seems precisely the intention.

The business dealings of Cabinet ministers and donors who pumped £27m into the Tory party could be wiped from official records under plans being considered by a Government agency.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt are among ministers whose former business interests could be obscured from public view.

Donors who bolstered Tory coffers, including one promised a Lords seat in David Cameron’s tainted resignation honours list, could also see their records wiped.

The move threatens to cut off a key source of information on public figures’ past, provoking concern that it may mean conflicts of interest go undiscovered.

The Government said a consultation would be held before any decision is taken, but Labour demanded the move be blocked.

Source: Business dealings of Tory donors could be wiped from official records

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8 Comments

  1. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) August 16, 2016 at 6:34 am - Reply

    Even the most dumb should surely see through this desire to cover up the “behind the scenes” daily activities of this government which relies on its rich backers to keep it in power; backers whose only desire is to safeguard their own financial interests rather than those of the whole population on whom they rely for cheap labour.

    It is time for us all to wake up and take this golden opportunity for a new real democracy under Jeremy Corbyn and get rid of all those underhand tricks that some MPs think they can pull over our eyes on a daily basis.

  2. NMac August 16, 2016 at 7:43 am - Reply

    No doubt about it this crowd of nasty Tories have taken stinking rotten corruption to new levels.

  3. Jeffrey Davies August 16, 2016 at 8:03 am - Reply

    may and hubby have a lot to answer for the rest has well more fraudulent trading at the house of ill repute

  4. John August 16, 2016 at 8:08 am - Reply

    I am currently reading a book by Martin Williams entitled “Parliament Ltd – A Journey to the Dark Heart of British Politics” which provides significant detail on the business interests of MPs and Peers.
    To understand the extent of the nexus between UK finance capitalism and parliamentary representatives and non-representatives, I strongly urge everyone to read this publication.
    Only after reading something like this do we begin to realise just how interlinked the City and Parliament truly are.
    It also explains why all the tax dodging, avoidance and tax-havening is tolerated by the ruling class in this country; something the mass media only occasionally picks up on.
    You will surprised by some of the identities of politicians who are involved in this web of corruption.

  5. Roland Laycock August 16, 2016 at 8:40 am - Reply

    So all this being open and honest will got out the door, we know they are liers now it will be more so.

  6. mohandeer August 16, 2016 at 12:33 pm - Reply

    The right wing hollow suits of Labour will likely be pleased as well. It is not only the Tory Party which is corrupt. Perhaps it will also apply to councillors in local authorities, where corruption is also rife. This is the way it’s been for a century and more which is why JC has such a huge following because he would attempt to rid Britain of it’s corrupt Corporates, Parliamentarians and Local Authorities. Under the current Labour Government and the unwillingness of the SNP to cooperate with the shadow government as is, this will get passed without any problem. I’ll wait to see if Owen Smith opposes it or if he remains silent.

  7. casalealex August 16, 2016 at 3:13 pm - Reply

    Have you noticed that the floor of the House has risen by nine to ten inches since 2010.
    On inspection we will most likely find that this is due to the many instances of ‘sweeping under the carpet’.

  8. Justin Greenwood August 16, 2016 at 8:58 pm - Reply

    a consultation really, when would that happen, xmas, when something attention grabbing goes on, in the small print of newspapers, what about a lords vote, oh that would be a interesting vote, they all be forced out of the woodwork to appear, just like they did when they pushed through the esa cuts and what would lt be hiding, surely they got nothing to hide, links to capita, maximus, atos, g4 etc, all perfectly acceptable links to companies that never do anything wrong.

    tory boy stop trying to hide behind legislation and freedom of information, it is not to hard to see your lies and smell your fear, any company with declared interests should be bidding for government contract on merit, not on who is on the board as a non-exec or party donorr

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