Labor accuses Philip Hammond of breaching ministerial law | Philip Hammond

[ad_1]

Labor has accused former chancellor Philip Hammond of breaching the ministerial act, after he wrote to the Treasury to defend a bank that is being paid for it.

The former MP, now a Conservative, became the latest figure to be embroiled in questions about lobbying, after a government-mandated review found rules on access and influence for politicians and senior civil servants “working well”.

Since leaving the House of Commons, Lord Hammond has held several roles, including that of Non-Executive Director of OakNorth International Bank.

In an email sent during the first few months of the Covid crisis, the Sunday Telegraph said Hammond called Charles Roxburgh – the Treasury’s second-largest civil servant – to tell him about a “toolkit” developed by Oak North to assess potential borrowers.

One of the attachments to the letter contained an Oak North letter, and Hammond asked Roxburgh to “pass it on to anyone else who may be appropriate,” the newspaper said.

The communications came under scrutiny because Labor claimed it violated an outright ban imposed on Hammond after he left government in July 2019 when Theresa May stepped down and was replaced by Boris Johnson as prime minister.

A letter from the Business Appointments Advisory Committee – which advises presidents and those who have recently resigned from activities for which they can and cannot use their positions – reportedly told Hammond that for two years after leaving, he should not use his “government” and/or ministerial contacts to influence policy or Business insurance on behalf of OakNorth.”

The ministerial law also states that former ministers “must abide by the advice of the committee.”

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said Hammond had broken ministerial law and called for an investigation by the Cabinet Secretary.

“Hammond completely ignored the terms that were made clear to him when he took the job at Oak North Bank,” she said. “If the rules are treated with such cynicism by the former chancellor, the whole system is corrupt.”

An OakNorth spokesperson said the bank was providing free assistance to the UK government during the height of the pandemic. “There was absolutely no indication of payment in the presentation that was sent, and it was made very clear in our discussions with the Treasury that this would be free of charge,” they added.

Hammond and the Cabinet Office have been contacted for comment.

[ad_2]