At long last the ministerial register of interests is here – a mere five months after it was due. The register was released today to accompany the findings of the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, Christopher Geidt, into whether Boris Johnson’s No. 10 flat shenanigans broke the ministerial code (spoiler: he didn’t.) Mr S has spent the afternoon looking at the register and picking out the most interesting gigs, perks and possible conflicts of interests detailed.
Johnson himself lists 12 charities and non-profit organisations with which he has links including the Anglo Turkish society of which he is president and Hillingdon golf club in Uxbridge who presented him with honorary membership in his capacity as the local MP. The close links between the Johnson and Goldsmith families are detailed in the register too – Boris’s dad Stanley is the honorary international ambassador of the Conservative Environment Network which is chaired by Zac’s brother Ben Goldsmith who serves as a Defra board member.
Ministers who get to hear firsthand how they’re doing from their partners include Lord Frost – whose wife is a senior Foreign Office civil servant – and education secretary Gavin Williamson whose spouse is a teaching assistant at a Stafford school. Williamson’s patronage of the World Owl Trust is one of several wildlife themed charities to appear alongside Carrie Symonds’ communications job at the Aspinall Foundation. Ailurophile Kevin Foster is patron of not one but two cat charities while Steerpike suspects David Rutley will have no trouble with his links to the Macclesfield Sheepdog Trials Association.
Politics clearly runs in the families for some members of the government. Former Richmond council leader Lord True – another member of the Goldsmith mafia – lists his daughter Sophia as working in No. 10 as a special adviser with colleague Nadine Dorries boasting two daughters employed as civil servants. Baroness Vere’s husband is the Tories’ head of fundraising and Rachel Maclean’s son-in-law is another government spad. Others with family connections relevant to their gigs include Caroline Dinenage whose husband runs an independent consultancy while culture minister John Whittingdale’s son is employed by Sony Music and his daughter is employed by Pagefield Communications. Solicitor General Lucy Frazer meanwhile has had to have arrangements put in place by the Attorney General’s Office to ensure she is not involved in a departmental framework contact with her husband’s recruitment company.
Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt keeps the Tory tradition of military service going with her post as an honorary commander in the Royal Navy while defence secretary Ben Wallace has a hat tip to his past in his post as president of the Lancashire branch of Scots Guards Association. More esoteric listings include Christopher Pincher’s vice-presidency of the Peel Society to commemorate Sir Robert Peel and Jacob Rees-Mogg’s patronage of the Mendip male voice choir and the Farindale dancers in Saltford. Baroness Evans meanwhile is technically responsible for the upkeep of her Cabinet colleague Dominic Raab’s home in her capacity as chair of the Chevening House board of trustees while Amanda Milling is honorary vice president of the Rugeley rifle club.
In the Lords, things are equally colourful. The redoubtable Baroness Scott, a former horse stud owner, lists her role on the Master Gunners Committee while her colleague Viscount Younger is a member of the Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland, Royal Company of Archers. The latter is also president of the exclusive Kate Kennedy Club Members Association at St Andrew’s for all former members of the exclusive university society which last year announced a probe into sexual misconduct among members.
Let’s hope that none of the ministers left anything out – health secretary Matt Hancock has already been found to have committed a breach of the ministerial code after failing to declare his shares in his sister’s NHS firm.
Comments