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| Ex-minister Francis Maude takes Brexit advisory job at law firm | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The former cabinet minister Francis Maude has taken a job advising an international law firm on Britain’s exit from the EU, six months after standing down from government. | The former cabinet minister Francis Maude has taken a job advising an international law firm on Britain’s exit from the EU, six months after standing down from government. |
| Lord Maude, who until April was a trade and investment minister, has joined Covington and Burling LLP as a senior adviser in its government affairs practice. | Lord Maude, who until April was a trade and investment minister, has joined Covington and Burling LLP as a senior adviser in its government affairs practice. |
| Law firms and the finance industry have been setting up Brexit units to advise clients on how to understand and shape UK policy and how their commercial interests will be affected by leaving the EU. | Law firms and the finance industry have been setting up Brexit units to advise clients on how to understand and shape UK policy and how their commercial interests will be affected by leaving the EU. |
| The appointment coincides with further pressure on the government to clamp down on former ministers who want to take up roles in the private sector that may allow them to exploit their contacts. | The appointment coincides with further pressure on the government to clamp down on former ministers who want to take up roles in the private sector that may allow them to exploit their contacts. |
| Maude’s roles in government have made him one of the best connected figures in Whitehall following a 30-year career in parliament as an MP and minister. | Maude’s roles in government have made him one of the best connected figures in Whitehall following a 30-year career in parliament as an MP and minister. |
| He was the minister for trade and investment under David Cameron from 2015 to 2016. Before that he was minister for the Cabinet Office and paymaster general under the 2010-15 coalition government, which brought him into contact with a succession of permanent secretaries. | He was the minister for trade and investment under David Cameron from 2015 to 2016. Before that he was minister for the Cabinet Office and paymaster general under the 2010-15 coalition government, which brought him into contact with a succession of permanent secretaries. |
| Covington, which works extensively in Europe, employs more than 120 former government officials, diplomats and regulators. It does not disclose any clients on the UK’s statutory lobbying registers. | Covington, which works extensively in Europe, employs more than 120 former government officials, diplomats and regulators. It does not disclose any clients on the UK’s statutory lobbying registers. |
| Maude has also has taken up a role as chairman of the advertising agency Cogent Elliott, months after accepting a job on the advisory board at the alternative investment firm Anvest Partners. | Maude has also has taken up a role as chairman of the advertising agency Cogent Elliott, months after accepting a job on the advisory board at the alternative investment firm Anvest Partners. |
| His roles have been approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) as long as he does not personally lobby ministers or officials for two years after leaving office or draw on privileged information. He is at liberty to advise others on how to do so, however. | His roles have been approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) as long as he does not personally lobby ministers or officials for two years after leaving office or draw on privileged information. He is at liberty to advise others on how to do so, however. |
| A spokesperson for Covington denied that Maude had taken up a lobbying job. “Francis Maude is not a lobbyist but a strategic adviser, who will be assisting the firm and its clients as they navigate complexities around Brexit,” she said. | A spokesperson for Covington denied that Maude had taken up a lobbying job. “Francis Maude is not a lobbyist but a strategic adviser, who will be assisting the firm and its clients as they navigate complexities around Brexit,” she said. |
| Covington is one of a number of firms advising clients on the consequences of the leave vote in June. | Covington is one of a number of firms advising clients on the consequences of the leave vote in June. |
| The lobbying firm Interel, which employs Liam Fox’s former special adviser Oli Waghorn, promises to help clients to “shape the post-Brexit regulatory and business environment”. | The lobbying firm Interel, which employs Liam Fox’s former special adviser Oli Waghorn, promises to help clients to “shape the post-Brexit regulatory and business environment”. |
| Hanover, run by John Major’s former press secretary Charles Lewington, has established a business advisory team to help clients navigate Brexit in order to “protect your bottom line”. | Hanover, run by John Major’s former press secretary Charles Lewington, has established a business advisory team to help clients navigate Brexit in order to “protect your bottom line”. |
| Last month it emerged that the former foreign secretary William Hague had been appointed to the “Brexit client transition unit” at the consultancy Teneo, whose clients include HSBC, Coca-Cola and Nissan. | Last month it emerged that the former foreign secretary William Hague had been appointed to the “Brexit client transition unit” at the consultancy Teneo, whose clients include HSBC, Coca-Cola and Nissan. |
| Meanwhile, MPs were warned on Tuesday that the revolving door of ministers and senior civil servants taking senior jobs in the private sector was now so prevalent that the boundary between the regulator and regulated had dissolved. | Meanwhile, MPs were warned on Tuesday that the revolving door of ministers and senior civil servants taking senior jobs in the private sector was now so prevalent that the boundary between the regulator and regulated had dissolved. |
| Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, which has campaign on the issue, told the Commons public administration committee that the current system was “open to corruption” and there had been a “disgraceful” failure to prevent conflict of interests. | Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, which has campaign on the issue, told the Commons public administration committee that the current system was “open to corruption” and there had been a “disgraceful” failure to prevent conflict of interests. |
| Alexandra Runswick, director of the campaign group Unlock Democracy said the volume of people moving from senior roles in Whitehall to the private sector had significantly increased. | Alexandra Runswick, director of the campaign group Unlock Democracy said the volume of people moving from senior roles in Whitehall to the private sector had significantly increased. |
| “Calling it a revolving door is almost too gentle a metaphor. It is more of a stampede,” she told MPs. | “Calling it a revolving door is almost too gentle a metaphor. It is more of a stampede,” she told MPs. |
| A new code of conduct has been proposed, under which MPs would be forced to drop lucrative outside jobs if they conflict with their jobs serving their constituents. | A new code of conduct has been proposed, under which MPs would be forced to drop lucrative outside jobs if they conflict with their jobs serving their constituents. |
| The change in the rules – which are still to be approved by MPs – would radically cut back the amount of time MPs would be allowed to spend away from their constituents. | The change in the rules – which are still to be approved by MPs – would radically cut back the amount of time MPs would be allowed to spend away from their constituents. |
| The draft code has been signed off by members of the House of Commons standards committee before a six-week consultation. | The draft code has been signed off by members of the House of Commons standards committee before a six-week consultation. |
| Tamasin Cave, of the campaign group Spinwatch, said there was a steady stream of ex-ministers walking straight into companies that then used their insider knowledge and connections.“It makes a joke of Theresa May’s promise to listen to the public and not be swayed by the interests of the privileged few,” Cave said. “You won’t stop it, but the prime minister could open it up to scrutiny and let us see who is lobbying her government.” | Tamasin Cave, of the campaign group Spinwatch, said there was a steady stream of ex-ministers walking straight into companies that then used their insider knowledge and connections.“It makes a joke of Theresa May’s promise to listen to the public and not be swayed by the interests of the privileged few,” Cave said. “You won’t stop it, but the prime minister could open it up to scrutiny and let us see who is lobbying her government.” |