Lobbying scandal: ‘Very good’ that business bosses have ‘direct access’ to ministers, says Kwasi Kwarteng

Business secretary also claims PM helped ‘saved lives’ with his texts to James Dyson

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said that it was “very good” thing that business leaders have had direct access to ministers and those making decisions in Whitehall.

The cabinet minister defended Boris Johnson, as the prime minister faces Labour demands for an investigation into text messages exchanged with Sir James Dyson over the tax status of his employees.

“I think that in the real world, in reality, people are contacting ministers, contacting MPs, all the time,” Mr Kwarteng told Sky News on Thursday.

“Business people are contacting MPs all the time, constituents also contact me on my phone. I think that in a modern democracy it’s very good that people actually can have direct access to ministers and people who are taking responsibility.”

Mr Kwarteng also claimed Mr Johnson had helped avert a “crisis” on ventilators and “saved lives” with his 2020 text exchanges with Sir James Dyson.

“The prime minister was very clear yesterday that he would have done exactly the same thing again, he had a duty, as far as he was concerned, to make sure that we got ventilators made here in the UK,” he told LBC.

“He moved, in his words, the prime minister said, he moved heaven and earth to try and make sure we got ventilators made here in the UK. That’s what happened – it averted an even greater crisis and it saved lives.”

However, the text messages BBC published showed that Mr Dyson approached the PM after failing to get a satisfactory response from the Treasury over concerns about the tax status of staff working on ventilators for the NHS.

Although tax changes were made by the Treasury, Mr Dyson’s ventilators were not needed by the NHS. The business entrepreneur has said his company lost £20m on development costs.

“We need the PM to appear before the liaison committee immediately for a thorough investigation into his conduct on this matter,” said Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves.

A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there appeared to be evidence the text messages may have breached the ministerial code. But No 10 has said the rules were followed and the texts were passed on to government officials “to work up the advice”.

Downing Street has also denied that Mr Johnson’s cabinet secretary advised that the PM change his mobile number over concerns about contact from those seeking to influence him.

Simon Case is said to have recommended the move last year, but Mr Johnson rejected his advice, according to reports.