Former cabinet minister Liam Fox has faced criticism for lobbying Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on behalf of a business group that pays him £1,000 an hour. Fox, who previously served as trade secretary, is chairman of the Global Britain Commission, an organisation whose members include UK Finance, Coutts, Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic, and Forth Ports. He is expected to receive £6,000 for six hours of work over the past six months.
In his role as a commissioner, Fox wrote an open letter to Sunak pressing for an export tax credit and a merger between the Department for Business and the Department for Trade, a move Sunak implemented earlier this month. The letter also called for scrapping air passenger duty and changes to the apprenticeship levy, while requesting a meeting with the prime minister.
Anneliese Dodds, chair of the Labour Party, criticised Fox's activities, stating: “Rishi Sunak promised a government of professionalism, integrity and accountability at all levels. Now we learn that former ministers are making money hand over fist lobbying him on changes to the machinery of government.” She added that Labour had tried to ban such second jobs but Conservatives voted for a watered-down version.
Fox's lobbying does not appear to breach rules banning paid lobbying by MPs, as he is a member of the organisation rather than acting in an advisory capacity. A spokesperson for Fox and the commission said the group is cross-party and aims to contribute to UK growth and international standing.
Fox has taken on this paid role since August 2022, with payments of £6,000 for six months from lobbying firm Bradshaw Advisory, and an additional £10,000 for 15 hours of work. He also receives a £10,000 retainer every six months from WorldPR, a Panama-based company whose clients have included the late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and lawyers for the Libyan government.
