"Powell asked Rayner, who was then housing secretary, to reconsider the government's disproportionate legal action against the company, days after bumping into Bloxham at a Labour party fundraising dinner. Asked about the intervention, Powell said she had acted in her capacity as a constituency MP and had done so openly and transparently. She denied she had done anything inappropriate, though MPs are under huge scrutiny after a series of lobbying scandals."
"This case refers to a company called Urban Splash, which was asked to pay back 49m of taxpayers' money in March 2024 when the Conservatives were in power. The money had been spent on making seven buildings in central Manchester compliant with post-Grenfell building safety laws, according to the housing department. Ministers applied to a property tribunal for a remediation order to legally require the developer to stump up for the works."
Lucy Powell, while a cabinet minister, wrote to Angela Rayner asking that the government's legal action against Urban Splash be reconsidered and that engagement be sought outside lengthy proceedings. Urban Splash was founded by Labour donor Tom Bloxham. The company was asked to repay £49m spent on making seven central Manchester buildings compliant with post-Grenfell building safety laws. Ministers applied to a property tribunal for a remediation order to require the developer to fund the works. Powell attached a letter from Bloxham and warned that tribunal proceedings would cost the taxpayer and would likely put Urban Splash out of business. Powell said she acted as a constituency MP and denied inappropriate conduct.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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