Boris Johnson’s close aide and Gulf envoy Lord Udny-Lister ‘discussed six-figure second job with lobbying firm with clients in the region’
- Lord Udny-Lister had discussions with Finsbury Glover Hering, it was reported
- He was made PM’s ‘special envoy for the Gulf and special projects’ in February
- He declined Finsbury Glover Hering role after being approached by the Times
- Company said his role would not have involved Middle Eastern clients
Boris Johnson’s Gulf envoy held talks over taking a six-figure second job with a lobbying firm with interests in the volatile region.
Lord Udny-Lister, a long-serving close aide to the Prime Minister, had discussions with Finsbury Glover Hering over combining his governmental role with a private one.
He was made the PM’s ‘special envoy for the Gulf and special projects’ in February, with a remit to strengthen UK links with the oil-rich region.
He rejected the offer from Finsbury last night after being approached by the Times, the newspaper reported today.
It reported the firm as saying Lord Udny-Lister’s role would not have involved Middle Eastern clients.
Lord Udny-Lister, a long-serving close aide to the Prime Minister, had discussions with Finsbury Glover Hering over combining his governmental role with a private one.
He was made the PM’s ‘special envoy for the Gulf and special projects’ in February, with a remit to strengthen UK links with the oil-rich region.
He rejected the offer from Finsbury last night after being approached by the Times, the newspaper reported today .
Lord Udny-Lister was acting chief of staff in No 10 after the shock departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain last December.
Former Treasury official Dan Rosenfield relieved him of the role in February, freeing him up for his new position.
Lord Lister’s reputation as ‘Steady Eddie’ saw him act as the calming foil to Cummings before the later was forced out of No10 in a power struggle with Carrie Symonds.
For 19 years the peer was leader of flagship Tory Wandsworth Council, consistently delivering the lowest council tax in the country.
In 2011, he became Johnson’s chief of staff at City Hall and masterminded his re-election as mayor in 2012.
The revelation came as Boris Johnson faced increasing questions about the lobbying of ministers by ex-prime minister David Cameron.
Mr Cameron, who was premier from 2010 to 2015, last night welcomed an inquiry into his work for Greensill Capital, hours after Boris Johnson ordered a ‘thorough’ probe into the row.
The former Prime Minister, 54, said he ‘will be glad’ to answer questions about his work for the now collapsed finance firm.
It comes after Mr Cameron finally admitted he should not have contacted ministers for the company via text.
An official Whitehall investigation is now set to take place after Mr Cameron’s actions triggered calls for an overhaul of the system.
The Cabinet Office process, headed by legal expert Nigel Boardman, will cover the way representations were made to the government and how contracts were awarded.