'Toothless' watchdog attacked for clearing Shapps' job at defence firm

The parliamentary standards body has been criticised for clearing Grant Shapps, a former Conservative defence secretary, to join a defence startup as long as he promises not to work on defence matters.

- Rob Davies Jasper Jolly

In a ruling that drew scorn from political ethics experts, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which advises on the revolving door between Westminster and the business sector, gave Shapps the green light to become the chair of Cambridge Aerospace.

Shapps told Acoba that the firm, founded three months after the Conservatives' general election defeat last year, planned to "develop technologies to reduce risks to aviation". Disclosures show that he cited examples such as airport delays caused by drones.

Acoba, which is due to be scrapped amid allegations that it is "toothless", agreed he could take up the position, providing "strategic direction and high level advice", on condition that he did not work on matters related to defence.

Acoba appeared to accept Shapps's description of Cambridge Aerospace's activities, saying the company's work "focuses on civilian aerospace", meaning there was no direct overlap with the former defence minister's access to sensitive information.

The Labour MP Phil Brickell said this explanation was "stretching credulity" given Cambridge Aerospace's own public statements and backers.