Stinking Rich

Covid-19 has been the political salvation of Robert Jenrick. It is possible that no rule has been broken, although that has yet to be established. But there is no way that this passes the smell test. It stinks to high heaven.

At 12 grand, Jenrick is a surprisingly cheap date. In 2000, Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell gave the Labour Party £100,000 one week after having been granted permission to take over Express Newspapers. So much for inflation.

And Nadhim Zahawi, who once claimed parliamentary expenses in order to heat his stables, spoke truer than he knew on the Today programme. Pay to attend a party fundraiser along the old Red Wall, and you may indeed find yourself sitting next to a powerful figure in the local authority, who might then be able to help along your planning application if you greased the wheels a bit.

But this side of Super Thursday, 6th June 2021, that Councillor will not be a Conservative. He, and it usually is he, will be a figure of the right-wing Labour machine. By enjoying hitherto permanent or semi-permanent control of almost all of the most populous local authorities in England and Wales, the municipal Labour Right has hitherto enjoyed a fiscal base unmatched by any other political faction south of the Border and east of the Irish Sea.

Council Tax. Business rates. Pension funds looking to invest. And endless opportunities for sweeteners and backhanders. Especially from property developers. But in less than a year's time, we are going to bring all of that crashing down. In the meantime, however, Jenrick also simply has to go. It is possible that no rule has been broken, although that has yet to be established. But there is no way that this passes the smell test. It stinks to high heaven.