Cameron Feels The Disdain Of Tories In Row Over Lobbying

Tory MPs have criticised David Cameron in a Commons debate about his attempts to lobby ministers on behalf of a finance firm.

- Macer Hall

Several backbenchers yesterday sought to distance their party from the former prime minister following revelations of his efforts to secure a Treasury loan for Greensill Capital.

Boris Johnson acknowledged that boundaries between the Government and business may have been breached in the scandal.

The Prime Minister said: “I share the widespread concern about some of the stuff we are reading.”

Government departments have been ordered to find out by the end of the week whether senior officials have rule-breaking second jobs.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has asked colleagues to declare paid roles or outside interests that “might conflict” with Civil Service rules.

In a letter to senior officials, Mr Case, who is in charge of the civil service, said there were issues of “acute concern”.

Labour claimed “Tory sleaze is back” but MPs last night rejected a motion calling for a full parliamentary inquiry into Whitehall lobbying by 357 votes to 262.

Probe

But despite opposing the probe, a string of Tories turned on Mr Cameron over his conduct as a paid adviser to the collapsed financial firm. One described his behaviour as not “seemly” while another said: “It leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson insisted his administration was “tough” on lobbying and defended his decision to set up a Government probe headed by a City lawyer rather than a parliamentary inquiry into the affair.