Foreign Secretary David Cameron faces fresh embarrassment over his links to disgraced financier Lex Greensill.
The former prime minister was a close adviser to Greensill, whose financial firm collapsed in 2021, sparking a major lobbying scandal.
MPs said Cameron, while out of office, showed “a significant lack of judgment” in trying to secure access to taxpayer-backed Covid loan schemes for Greensill Capital.
The Government’s Insolvency Service (IS) announced last month that it was seeking to ban Greensill as a director.
Greensill is countersuing the Department of Business and Trade, which oversees IS, over how the investigation was conducted and for alleged misuse of private information. His claim has now been made public.
Investigation: Foreign Secretary David Cameron was a close adviser to Lex Greensill (pictured together), whose financial firm collapsed in 2021, sparking a major lobbying scandal.
Greensill alleges the details were leaked in 2023, days after Cameron made a surprise return to the Government as Foreign Secretary, leading to renewed scrutiny of his work for Greensill.
The leak occurred “for inappropriate political reasons” to show that the Government was “taking action” over Greensill’s disappearance even when Cameron returned, court documents claim.
The financier says an IS official told newspapers he faced a ban as a company director, despite the government deciding last month to press ahead with disqualification procedures. He is not believed to be pursuing anyone else.
Newspapers say Cameron’s appointment coincided with the alleged leak, prompting fresh criticism of his lobby.
“As such, there was an obvious incentive for the Government to be seen to be taking action” against Greensill “without taking action against any other directors,” the suit says, adding: “The improper disclosures were made for inappropriate political reasons.” .’
The lawsuit also alleges that Greensill’s ‘private and confidential information’ was misused when an IS press officer – identified as ‘X’ – contacted the Times about the plan to ban the businessman four months before he was confirmed.
The employee was fired from IS following an internal investigation into the leak, according to the document.
Greensill’s lawyers say their efforts to identify “X” have been hampered because his laptop was “wiped” and his work phone “lost.”
The collapse of Greensill Capital led to ongoing criminal investigations in the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland.
Cameron’s conduct is not believed to be the subject of those investigations. He has said he acted in good faith at all times and denied any wrongdoing.
Greensill worked at 10 Downing Street when Cameron was prime minister and had a privileged relationship with officials as he built his supply chain business. He was awarded a CBE in 2017 “for services to the economy”.
Greensill is suing the Department of Business and Commerce for aggravated damages.
ISIS said: “As this is an ongoing legal matter, it would be inappropriate to comment.”
A Greensill spokesman declined to comment. He contacted a spokesperson for Lord Cameron for comment.