Housing secretary should have resigned after approving Tory donor’s ‘contentious’ property scheme, anti-corruption expert suggests

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Robert Jenrick should have resigned over a contentious decision to approve a major property scheme involving a Conservative Party donor, an anti-corruption expert has suggested as the cabinet minister told MPs he acted in “good faith”. The system needs to be preventive and act as a deterrent.” Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Jenrick’s opposite number Steve Reed said the housing secretary had been caught up in a “cash for favours” row “that now reaches inside No 10 Downing Street” as he tackled the minister on the issue. Mr Reed also urged Mr Jenrick’s department to publish all correspondence regarding the Westferry development in east London, and disclose “all conversations with all government ministers and officials”. The court consented to do that and that is now what will happen.” Referring to a Conservative fundraising event Mr Jenrick attended alongside Mr Desmond, he added: “My department knew about my attendance at the event before I went to it, they knew about the fact I had inadvertently sat next to the applicant, I didn’t know who I was going to be seated by until I sat at the table, and I discussed and took advice from my officials within the department at all times.” Last week, the Electoral Commission revealed Mr Desmond donated £12,000 to the Tories on 29 January – two weeks after Mr Jenrick gave the go-ahead to his plan to build 1,500 homes on the site of a former printworks on east London’s Isle of Dogs.