Investigations Correspondent @guardian. Tips: henry.dyer@theguardian.com/henrydyer.01 (Signal). Not posting here, just RTs ATM - find me on BSky.
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PM has done a broadcast interview to be released on Saturday, grilled by *checks notes* Esther McVey and Philip Davies, who in addition to being GB News presenters also just happen to be Conservative MPs
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call me the Grinch but the practice of politicians pretending to grant passage to Santa is cringe and should be stopped worldwide
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Amazing that it takes until the sixth paragraph to acknowledge the poll was commissioned by GB News
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You've seen Michael Gove dancing - here's Boris Johnson dancing at a City Hall christmas party with who I think is the then chair of the London Assembly, who is wielding a lightsaber nitter.app/SaHreports/status/1481…
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Astonishing paralysis of Westminster with @SamCoatesSky reporting that government were considering recall of Parliament to discuss possible use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, but now have scrapped the plans due to the fines.
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A Personal Statement on My Interaction With Neil Coyle businessinsider.com/henry-dy…
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Jacob Rees-Mogg under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over claims of undeclared outside interests, weeks after attempting to change the standards system.
businessinsider.com/jacob-re…
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Laughter in the Lords as Cabinet Office minister Lord True repeats for the benefit of peers what his colleague Michael Ellis told MPs earlier this afternoon in the standards in public life UQ. Even Baroness Evans, Leader of the House of Lords, seems to find it all a bit funny.
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Fun fact: today would've been Owen Paterson's 1st day back in Parliament after 30 sitting day suspension from 4/11/21. In those 30 days:
- Geoffrey Cox
- No10 wine/cheese
- Stratton out
- No10 quiz
- CCHQ bash
- N. Shropshire
- Case -> Gray
- Geidt flat refurb 2.0
- No10 BYOB
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3️⃣9️⃣ times the government said no rules were broken in the first two weeks after the partygate allegations first broke - with denials from:
- The PM
- His civil servant spox
- His political spox
- Deputy PM
- And more ministers
DM me if I've missed any!
businessinsider.com/39-times…
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AI-driven gig economy hellscape latest: Uber Eats cycle courier of two years shaves beard before job interview, fails real-time verification process to check if it's really him making deliveries, has account terminated
York cycle courier set to lose his job – for shaving off his beard #yorknews
yorkmix.com/york-cycle-couri…
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Are we not getting the Rishi Sunak apology as a snazzy graphic with his signature on it?
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New donation of £6,500 towards Theresa Villiers's re-election campaign in Chipping Barnet (majority of 1,212 or 2.1%) from Luba Chernukhin, better known as Lubov Chernukhin, who also gave £2,000 to Villiers's campaign in the 2019 general election.
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EXCL: BBC Board member Sir Robbie Gibb did not declare role on board of top Tory lobbying forum in BBC register of interests.
Enterprise Forum say Gibb is no longer a member of their board, but neither they nor BBC nor Gibb will say when he left board.
businessinsider.com/bbc-dire…
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New poll says 14 pt lead for Labour
CON 27% -18 (from GE2019)
LAB 41% +8
LIB 11% -1
Reform 5% +3
Green 8% +5
2,128 online respondents on 13 January 2022.
Find Out Now/Electoral Calculus
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The Cabinet Office has today responded after several months to an internal review, confirming their original finding that Lord Geidt was appointed with no records made related to the appointment process, no discussions on terms of reference, timeline, no job spec – nada.
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Congratulations to the Met Police for finding an officer who looks pretty similar to Line of Duty's Steve Arnott to appear in the background of Boris Johnson's photo op at a police station in Uxbridge today.
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NEW: Cabinet Office is blocking an FOI request for communications showing the “repeated assurances” to the PM “no rules were broken”, refusing to confirm or deny any records are held claiming to do so would prejudice @HoCPrivileges probe into PM’s remarks
businessinsider.com/governme…
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Went to an entire fringe event without one mention of levelling-up. Miracles do happen.
Why no mention, I asked a Tory MP – because it means nothing, they said.
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Esther McVey MP breached government rules by taking job as GB News presenter, Cabinet Office minister Lord True confirms, but won't be doing anything about it, per letter from True to Lord Eric Pickles published by ACOBA.
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EXCL: Boris Johnson in breach of ministerial code after using public funds to fly to Hartlepool to campaign in by-election, Conservative spending return suggests.
Labour's @AngelaRayner demanding investigation by Lord Geidt/Simon Case
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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MPs across house condemn what one called ‘sickening, shameful’ disclosures about Covid procurement
theguardian.com/uk-news/2022…
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This afternoon, Neil Coyle contacted me, and he offered his apologies for his inappropriate actions of last week.
He reiterated that he will be complying with the Labour Party's investigation.
I am grateful for the overwhelmingly kind messages of support and solidarity.
Update: @Direthoughts has now received an apology. Thanks to everyone who has made this happen.
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🚨Belated personal news: Very very pleased to have joined the wonderful investigations team at The Guardian under @PaulLewis. I'm going to be focussing on politics but interested in other areas too so please do get in touch if you have a tip or a story: henry.dyer@theguardian.com
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Downing Street playing silly buggers, as per, refusing FOI request for the private messages between PM and Chris Pincher around/after Pincher's resignation on the grounds they're "party political", despite the No 10 press office frequently publishing post-resignation letters.
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NEW: No 10 staff clearing phones of partygate messages could have committed criminal offences under FOIA, the ICO has warned, as separate legal challenge by @Foxglovelegal/@allthecitizens could lead to gov lawyers probing if staff were told to "clean up".
businessinsider.com/downing-…
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Somewhat weakens the argument that a change of leadership would be a threat to the ability of the UK to play a role on the world stage at the moment
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Shortest serving chancellors post-war
1. Iain Macleod, 30 days (died in office)
2? Kwasi Kwarteng, 38 days
3. Nadhim Zahawi, 63 days (caretaker)
4. Sajid Javid, 204 days
5. Peter Thorneycroft, 358 days
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Shock horror. ACOBA say they have not received an application for advice and will be writing to Johnson, following reports this morning that he is imminently taking up a new role as a columnist at the Mail.
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If they don’t appoint a new Chancellor of the Exchequer in 15 minutes you’re legally allowed to stop paying tax
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BREAKING: 22 Tory MPs investigated or censured by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards voted for Leadsom amendment to set up commission to overhaul sleaze system.
Vote only passed by 18, so could not have succeeded without their support.
businessinsider.com/22-tory-…
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After Greensill, you'd have to ask if Cameron even passes a HOLAC propriety check...
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🧰news - Cummings has responded to my question on his Substack AMA saying “balls lies and dishonest incompetence from you as usual, removing you and giving you refund adios”
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There are a lot of shocking details in the report on Bone's conduct. There is also a rather damning section on failure of the Conservatives processes: a complaint about Bone's conduct was first made to Cameron in Dec '15, then again to May in Nov '17.
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Boris Johnson has been dealing with his red box work in "short updates" via WhatsApp every day since November 2020 - including for five months from November 2020 to March 2021 to a personal device not issued by Downing Street, a senior official says.
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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Liz Truss should honour her Lib Dem roots and post a questionable bar chart showing the scale of her victory over Rishi Sunak, artist's impression attached
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Boris Johnson has declared £754,652.21 in earnings from three speeches he's given, received less than three months after he left No 10 on 6/9/12.
His ACOBA letter for the Harry Walker Agency does note that he is "subject to a 3 month waiting period as standard". Never mind...
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NEW: Ex-Russian banker Dmitry Leus was president of a Tory party association. Leus gave £25k to Dominic Raab, and tried to make a six-figure donation to Prince Charles's foundation, blocked by ethics committee. Leus did not run again in February 2022 AGM.
businessinsider.com/ex-russi…
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A Met Police public order event debrief, released under Freedom of Information laws, summarises incidents of note from the Sarah Everard vigil.
The report says that "the Duchess of Sussex attended the bandstand”.
But it was Kate Middleton who went… businessinsider.com/met-poli…
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Andrew Rosindell appears to have declared he took a holiday to Italy paid for by a Conservative donor during, er, the period of national mourning
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EXCL: Lord Bethell met with Randox five times but only one meeting was declared, internal records suggest. DHSC today did not deny that the meetings went ahead after the government published emails showing further meetings being organised with Randox. businessinsider.com/health-m…
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🚨EXCLUSIVE: Video of Boris Johnson telling Tory donors at £500-a-head lunch: "I said last year we're the Saudi Arabia of wind. Probably the Saudi Arabia of penal policy, too, under our wonderful Home Secretary."
More: businessinsider.com/inside-c…
🚨 Boris Johnson joked the UK is becoming the "Saudi Arabia of penal policy" under Priti Patel
No 10 previously denied he made variation of remark in January. But Insider has acquired video of Johnson making the joke at a Tory party lunch on Friday.
businessinsider.com/inside-c…
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Excl w/ @PaulLewis @rowenamason and @david_conn
A second company, LFI Diagnostics, that Michelle Mone lobbied ministers over in an attempt to secure government Covid contracts was a secret entity of her husband’s family office, the Guardian can reveal.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2022…
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Good evening from the V&A, where the museum’s PCS branch is picketing the entrance to the Conservative fundraising dinner, accompanied by John McDonnell
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EXCLUSIVE: Johnson's decision to nominate former Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas to House of Lords faces legal challenge from the Good Law Project.
Three days after entering the Lords, Cruddas gave the Conservatives his single largest donation of £500k.
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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The company behind Liz Truss's Growth Commission seems to be missing a (b) in its objectives
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EXCL: Dmitry Leus, a former Russian banker who gave £25k to Dominic Raab in July 2021 while Raab was Foreign Secretary, was recruited by and is "absolutely dependent on the FSB", Liam Byrne has claimed, citing intelligence sources. Leus denies allegation.
businessinsider.com/dominic-…
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Additional fun fact here is that if Kwasi is indeed sacked and I can't imagine he's offered a different ministerial role, he will receive more money in his payoff (three months' pay) than he has from his ministerial salary
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Standing order 122B.8.f: "No Member may be a candidate for the chair of the Committee of Public Accounts or the Committee on Standards unless his party is that of the official Opposition."
Standards' membership same as Privileges except the lay members publications.parliament.uk/p…
Break: @Jacob_Rees_Mogg indicates to me the government will oppose referring @BorisJohnson to the commons privileges committee on the grounds it has a Labour chair - @RhonddaBryant. More on @BBCNewsnight
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Cummings claims in latest Substack Boris Johnson told him in January 2020 that on account of his "fucking divorce, very expensive", and the pressure of being PM, he wanted to concentrate instead on writing his Shakespeare book.
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Illegal migration bill is ‘cruelty without purpose’, says Archbishop of York theguardian.com/uk-news/2023…
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🤔 Why would James Slack be having a leaving do on April 16th, nearly a month after he's officially left the Civil Service on March 19th?
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Standards Commissioner finds Tory MP David Duguid failed to declare his wife's £50k of shares in BP in three debates on oil and gas in 2023.
Finding follows Guardian investigation by me into MPs undisclosed shareholdings. theguardian.com/politics/202…
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The polling is also by CT Group, Lynton Crosby's lobbying firm and political consultancy. Which, er, isn't on the British Polling Council.
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Wheels down for Boris Johnson in Newquay as he makes the nearly 400km journey from London to Cornwall for G7 by plane rather than train, creating over five times as many greenhouse gases according to the government's own figures on emissions per km.
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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🚨 Boris Johnson has declared part of the cost of his Marbella trip - an £1,800 stay in Heathrow's VIP Windsor suite before he set off. But still nothing on his use of the Goldsmiths' reportedly £25k-a-week villa.
Full story: businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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Boris Johnson has declared an advance payment of £2,488,387.53 from the Harry Walker speaking agency for future speaking engagements to be arranged. Plus the now routine Bamford accommodation.
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NEW: Boris Johnson was organising Sept. bash at Chequers for ex-PMs on Friday 13/8 two days before Kabul fell, as evacuation efforts began amid deteriorating security situation.
Records show PM met Chequers Trust re. "preparations for centenary dinner"
businessinsider.com/johnson-…
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The Independent Expert Panel's just-published report on the conduct of Peter Bone. After a finding of bullying and sexual misconduct, the IEP has recommended a six-week suspension for Bone, now to be confirmed by the House of Commons: parliament.uk/globalassets/m…
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may I be the first to pitch for a project for the £36 billion available from the just announced scrapping of hs2 phase two: how about a high speed rail line from manchester to birmingham? think it could be a good idea
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Every 18-year-old to be drafted in for a year’s service handling FOI requests, now we’re talking
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ohhh my god you work in westminster and are inspired by the west wing? should we tell everyone? Should we throw a party? should we invite Josh and Toby to a walk-and-talk? should we "let Sunak be Sunak"?
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Matt Hancock has taken shares in Topwood Limited, a company that offers shredding, document storage, and scanning services. Optics of investing in a shredding company with an inquiry inevitably on the way are amusing to say the least.
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Boris Johnson starts new job as Daily Mail columnist day after report found he lied to Parliament
inews.co.uk/news/boris-johns…
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New from me: the Whitehall lobbying watchdog has found that the Earl of Shrewsbury carried out unregistered consultant lobbying on behalf of healthcare firm SpectrumX. Shrewsbury remains under investigation by Lords Commissioners for similar allegations.
theguardian.com/politics/202…
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EXCLUSIVE: Investigation finds more than 50 MPs have owned stakes in publicly listed companies that raise questions about possible conflicts of interest and that until now have been in effect secret.
theguardian.com/politics/202…
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I remember @MichaelLCrick telling me about his idea for the @tomorrowsmps project a few years ago and with nominations now closed, worth noting what a great success and service it has been — I think it has opened up a big part of British politics over past two years!
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Something particularly interesting about these messages is Owen Paterson’s messages asking Hancock if he’ll be voting, proposing times they could have chats in the division lobbies — a great example of that highly special access and influence an MP acting as a paid lobbyist has.
🚨 BREAKING / EXCLUSIVE 🚨
The Government has been forced to release private messages sent between Matt Hancock and Owen Paterson about Randox (the firm that won £600m+ in COVID contracts, that Paterson worked for).
It's pretty explosive stuff...
bylinetimes.com/2022/02/03/g…
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My name’s Sam Tyler. I had an accident and I woke up in 2023. Am I mad, in a coma, or forward in time? Whatever’s happened, it’s like David Cameron is a peer and foreign secretary.
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Michael Ellis is now arguing Priti Patel was justified in declaring a ticket to the Bond premiere as a minister because "the nature of the film is connected to executive function". The man could spin for England.
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happy anti-corruption day from the cabinet office
On anti-corruption day and everyday, we, as partners and allies, want to empower individuals to stand up against corruption and promote transparency.
Democracy enables us to hold each other to account, at home and abroad.
#IACD2021 #DemocracyAllies
this-is-democracy.com/?utm_s…
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Fair bit of speculation about Ofcom rules, etc. This note to broadcasters from Ofcom says the election period started at latest on March 28. But I wonder if this i/v might skirt the rules as none of the three are candidates in local or assembly elections.
ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/p…
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Johnson refusing to disclose cost of villa.
@AngelaRayner says it's “utterly ludicrous that the only donation that Boris Johnson has declared related to his latest freebie luxury holiday is the hospitality he enjoyed in the lounge waiting for his plane”.
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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Rayner adds: “The Prime Minister was given a gift by someone that he gave a peerage and a ministerial job to and the Prime Minister needs to tell us the truth about his donations.”
businessinsider.com/boris-jo…
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2018:
David Davis is ex SAS He’s trained to survive. He’s also trained to take people out. #Brexit
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Gibb is reported to be behind attempts to block appointment of Jess Brammar to senior editorial role at the BBC, amid concerns over "impartiality".
After asking Enterprise Forum for details, they deleted all pages on their website to do with Gibb.
businessinsider.com/bbc-dire…
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BREAKING: No 10 is “mishandling” appointment of the next Information Commissioner, say DCMS select committee who were due to hold pre-appointment hearing this week. ICO currently running two investigations linked to sacked Matt Hancock.
businessinsider.com/johnson-…
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EXCLUSIVE: Lord James Wharton, controversially appointed chair of the Office for Students in February, donated £8,000 to the Conservatives in March, new figures show - while claiming up to £10,000 a month in furlough from December to March.
businessinsider.com/conserva…
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EXCL: Alexander Lebedev met with a senior Russian government official weeks before invasion of Ukraine.
Photos show Lebedev and official at a factory that produces parts for Russian nuclear energy sector.
Lebedev's spokesperson denies he owns the plant.
businessinsider.com/lebedev-…
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Particularly intrigued by the allegation by Anne Milton that "some financial help was given" to an MP through the whips' office: from a donor or from party funds?
“Make sure when you give him this cheque he knows that I now own him.”
Sir Gavin Williamson has been accused of issuing an inappropriate threat to an MP in financial trouble by former deputy chief whip Anne Milton, who used to work with him when he was chief whip.
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Cox told British Virgin Islands corruption about the “drawbacks” of MPs registering outside earnings.
"Let me be quite candid. There are real drawbacks to open registers. It becomes a political tool for every — many, many frivolous complaints are made.”
businessinsider.com/video-ge…
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An astonishing feat of bureaucratic mastery to find someone to become a senior office holder without a single scrap of paper aside from the letters at the end of the process.
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