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Cameron and Sunak to be called to give evidence to Greensill inquiries

David Cameron’s spokesperson says former PM would respond ‘positively’ to any request to give evidence
David Cameron and Rishi Sunak will be among senior politicians called to give evidence at a growing number of inquiries into the Greensill lobbying scandal, after two committees of MPs said they would begin their own investigations.
In a sign that ministers are struggling to contain the most serious crisis over political ethics for years, the Treasury select committee and the public administration and constitutional affairs committee said they would launch inquiries, alongside an independent inquiry ordered by No 10.
A spokesperson for Cameron has said he would respond “positively” to any request to give evidence to any of the inquiries, once they have established their terms of reference.
Eric Pickles, the former Conservative minister who now chairs the watchdog that examines the appointments of ex-ministers and civil servants, is due to give evidence to MPs on Thursday.
Pickles is understood to be furious at the growing scope of the scandal, and wrote an angry letter to the Cabinet Office on Monday, which revealed for the first time that a senior civil servant, Bill Crothers, had begun working for Greensill while in office – with the approval of the Cabinet Office.
That revelation prompted the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, who heads the civil service, to issue an order across Whitehall that any similar conflicts of interests be brought to his attention by Friday, saying it was of “acute concern for us as the senior leadership team of the civil service”.
The former Home Office permanent secretary Sir David Normington said he was “absolutely amazed” that a senior civil servant had been permitted to work as a part-time adviser at Greensill Capital while still in Whitehall.
“I thought it was absolutely baffling. I’ve never come across anything like it in my over 40 years in Whitehall,” he said. “I’m absolutely amazed that Bill Crothers should be allowed to work for Greensill while he was still in the civil service. But worse, I think, this enabled him to evade scrutiny of his appointment after he had left the civil service, and that is completely unacceptable.”
The government used its Commons majority to defeat an attempt by Labour to force the creation of a committee of MPs specifically to examine the issues of lobbying and the Greensill affair.
The scandal grew after it emerged that Cameron had personally lobbied Sunak on behalf of the now-collapsed company in order to gain access to coronavirus loan schemes, and had been able to arrange for its founder, Lex Greensill, to have a “private drink” with the health secretary, Matt Hancock.
Cameron has suggested he regrets the manner in which the lobbying was conducted, saying he did not break any rules but acknowledging there were “lessons to be learned” and that as a former prime minister any contacts he had with government should be through the “most formal channels”.
Pickles will give evidence to the public administration committee on Thursday, and its chair, the Tory MP William Wragg, formally announced on Thursday morning it would conduct a full inquiry into lobbying rules.
Wragg told the House of Commons during the Greensill inquiry debate on Wednesday that his committee would start investigating, referring to the fictional police anti-corruption unit in the BBC series Line of Duty by calling the committee “the AC-12 of Whitehall”.
The Treasury select committee’s chair, the Conservative MP Mel Stride, said it would look at what lessons could be learned about the appropriateness of Sunak’s response to Cameron’s lobbying efforts, as well as that of Treasury officials.
Labour MPs on the committee said their original efforts to begin an inquiry had been blocked by the committee’s Tory majority.
source: Jessica Elgot
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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