rantnrave Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) Mention for an old HPC nemesis here too - Dicky Desmond who was behind all the Daily Express property ramping front pages. Robert Jenrick urged to release documents in planning row https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52999732 Labour has urged Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick to publish all correspondence relating to his approval of a £1bn property scheme. The call came after it emerged the beneficiary has since given money to the Conservative Party. Richard Desmond donated £12,000 two weeks after Mr Jenrick gave planning permission for his company to build 1,500 homes in east London. The Conservatives said policies were "in no way influenced by donations". But Labour said Mr Jenrick must show the process was "fair and transparent" and a local councillor said the donation "raised questions" for the minister. Mr Jenrick granted planning permission on 14 January for Mr Desmond's company Northern & Shell to build on the Westferry Printworks site on the Isle of Dogs. 'Apparent bias' The approval the day before the introduction of a new council community levy which would have meant the developer paying an additional £40m. In giving the project the green light, Mr Jenrick overruled the Tower Hamlets planning inspector who said the development needed to deliver more affordable housing in London's poorest borough. The council has since challenged the decision, forcing the secretary of state to back down and to admit what he did was "unlawful by reason of apparent bias". Local councillors asked the High Court last month to order the government to disclose emails and memos around the deal. Rather than doing this, Mr Jenrick's lawyers conceded the timing of his decision "would lead the fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there was a real possibility" that he had been biased. Conservative fundraiser Labour are calling on Mr Jenrick to answer questions in the Commons on Thursday about the matter after it emerged that Mr Desmond made a personal donation to the Conservatives on 28 January. The £12,000 figure was included in Tuesday's Electoral Commission audit of party donations for the first three months of the year and first reported by the Daily Mail. Mr Jenrick has come under growing political pressure in recent weeks after it emerged he sat at the same table as Mr Desmond, the former owner of the Daily Express, at a Conservative Party fundraiser last November. A spokesman for Mr Jenrick told the Daily Mail "the developers did raise their application, but Mr Jenrick informed them that it would not be appropriate for them to discuss the matter with him, or for him to pass comment on it". But Labour said Mr Jenrick must now make clear whether he told officials at his department about the meeting and disclose whether he or members of his team had any other contacts with the developer. 'Terrible optics' Unless the Housing Secretary published all documents about the application and any correspondence with Mr Desmond in the run-up to the decision, the opposition said "the public will be entitled to think it's one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy friends, and another rule for everyone else". "Communities must have confidence that the planning process is fair and transparent, but the unanswered questions around Robert Jenrick's unlawful decision have weakened that trust," said Labour's shadow communities secretary Steve Reed. "It's time for Mr Jenrick to come clean and answer these crucial questions about why he over-ruled his own inspector to grant planning permission for a billionaire Conservative Party donor to build a luxury development." Andrew Wood, who resigned as leader of the Conservative group on Tower Hamlets Council because of his concerns over the property deal, has called for the Cabinet Office to launch an investigation. He told the BBC details of Mr Desmond's donation raised "more questions about what was going on", adding that although £12,000 was "not a lot of money," it did not look good. "The optics are terrible," he added. A Conservative Party spokesperson said Mr Desmond's donation was properly declared to the Electoral Commission and fully complied with the law. "Government policy is in no way influenced by party donations - they are entirely separate," the spokesperson said. Mr Jenrick has insisted there was no actual bias towards Mr Desmond but said it was right for the decision to be revisited to "ensure there was complete fairness". A spokesman for the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that while "we reject the suggestion there was any actual bias in the decision, we have agreed that the application will be re-determined." Mr Desmond has, in the past, donated money to both Labour and UKIP. Northern & Shell, of which he is the majority shareholder, sold its publishing interests in 2018 and now focuses largely on property development as well as digital ventures and the Health Lottery. Edited June 11, 2020 by rantnrave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freki Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 Prostitution is cheap those days, what an utter disgrace... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantnrave Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 Sent his deputy to answer questions about the scandal https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/11/robert-jenrick-ducks-commons-question-planning-intervention-richard-desmond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARTINX9 Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Freki said: Prostitution is cheap those days, what an utter disgrace... Possibly why massage parlours have been given 100 per cent business rates relief by the government for a year but not GP surgeries, dentists, high street solicitors, physios, chiropractors or chiropodists. This only applies if the person doing the massage is an ‘amateur’ not a qualified physio etc!’ Estate and letting agents get relief too - the only other high street ‘service’ business which does. Brought to you by Mr Jenrick!! Edited June 11, 2020 by MARTINX9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trump Invective Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 Luckily it ain't happening. Crooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sPinwheel Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 23 hours ago, MARTINX9 said: Possibly why massage parlours have been given 100 per cent business rates relief by the government for a year but not GP surgeries, dentists, high street solicitors, physios, chiropractors or chiropodists. This only applies if the person doing the massage is an ‘amateur’ not a qualified physio etc!’ Estate and letting agents get relief too - the only other high street ‘service’ business which does. Brought to you by Mr Jenrick!! Come on now, at least you get a happy ending with massage parlours. Not like dentists where it always ends in persistent growing agony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticket2ride Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 £12k and a lifetime subscription to Asian babes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticket2ride Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 11/06/2020 at 15:05, MARTINX9 said: Possibly why massage parlours have been given 100 per cent business rates relief by the government for a year but not GP surgeries, dentists, high street solicitors, physios, chiropractors or chiropodists. This only applies if the person doing the massage is an ‘amateur’ not a qualified physio etc!’ Estate and letting agents get relief too - the only other high street ‘service’ business which does. Brought to you by Mr Jenrick!! Is that true? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14stFlyer Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 I think the timing of Mr Jenrick's intervention leads the fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there is a real possibility that he had been up to no good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARTINX9 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, ticket2ride said: Is that true? ? Yes - check out the guidance from Mr Jenrick. Casinos, massage parlours and estate agents get 100% business rate relief from April 2020 to March 2021 - but not other service businesses such as dentists, GP surgeries, chiropodists, physios and chiropractors or solicitors/accountants on the high street. Suggests an odd sense of priorities perhaps? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance Edited June 12, 2020 by MARTINX9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHorseWaits-NoMore Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 B@stards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simhadri Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 46 minutes ago, MARTINX9 said: Yes - check out the guidance from Mr Jenrick. Casinos, massage parlours and estate agents get 100% business rate relief from April 2020 to March 2021 - but not other service businesses such as dentists, GP surgeries, chiropodists, physios and chiropractors or solicitors/accountants on the high street. Suggests an odd sense of priorities perhaps? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance Jenrick should resign. Disgrace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timm Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 11/06/2020 at 09:08, rantnrave said: Unless the Housing Secretary published all documents about the application and any correspondence with Mr Desmond in the run-up to the decision, the opposition said "the public will be entitled to think it's one rule for the Conservatives and their wealthy friends, and another rule for everyone else". I think we knew that already. They are just rubbing it in now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 In normal times he would have been forced to resign by now. Quite a scandal, but pushed out of the headlines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedin Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Let's hope this has a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 1 hour ago, spacedin said: Let's hope this has a happy ending. This is a high class estate agents not a two-bit nipple peep show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sPinwheel Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Did the pope take a shït in woods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highcontrast Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/24/robert-jenrick-to-release-all-relevant-information-in-planning-row Scheming greedy unscrupulous self serving immoral slimy scumbag. Can't come up with anything else that isn't swearing, feel free to add to the description. Possibly even scummier than BTL landlords, and I didn't think that was possible. Edit...he probably has BTL in his extensive portfolio...grrrr!! How do these people get away with it? Hopefully the media scrutiny shafts him hard. Edited June 24, 2020 by highcontrast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckinlimbo Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Surely this isn’t a matter of resigning frI’m his post, but something the police should be investigating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckinlimbo Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 And this email on 9th Jan looks like a smoking gun... An official at the department says Robert Jenrick was “insistent” that the development had to be approved before Richard Desmond would have had to pay £40m in extra tax that was due to come in. https://mobile.twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1275843412156178434 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highcontrast Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 9 minutes ago, stuckinlimbo said: Surely this isn’t a matter of resigning frI’m his post, but something the police should be investigating? Very good point. I may have to tweet the met police the guardian link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freki Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 I like to see Daily Mail readers not supportive of the government This government seems more and more toast by the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyblueeyes Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 A government led by a cabinet clearly out of their depth. It really is sad to see the UK becoming a total joke under these idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highcontrast Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 1 hour ago, jimmyblueeyes said: A government led by a cabinet clearly out of their depth. It really is sad to see the UK becoming a total joke under these idiots. Out of their depth and showing their true colours, looking out for themselves and their rich friends. Apparently Boris has said the matter is closed, just like with Dominic Cummings, typical. A PM who frankly has no decency or morality. But I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. They really are turning into classic evil tory caricatures? However, now the media has got a hold of this, it was the main headline with GMB this morning, so fingers crossed they pressure him out of existence. P.s. the key word I was looking for was "corrupt"... corrupt to the core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
“Nasty Piece of work” Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 A Boris led Government producing self serving idiots at the Plebs cost - what did Joe Public expect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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