Foreign secretary was involved in decision not to charge hard Brexit group for use of facilities

Boris Johnson faces new questions about his judgment after the Foreign Office rejected a request from the government’s head of ethics to charge for the launch of a thinktank that supports a hard Brexit on its premises.

Documents show that Sue Gray, the Cabinet Office director general of propriety and ethics, suggested that the Initiative for Free Trade (IFT) should pay a full commercial fee for the Foreign Office’s grand rooms in Whitehall, but the department argued it was in line with previous policy to offer the facilities for free.

Boris Johnson accused of breaching ministerial code over thinktank launch Read more

The disclosure emerged in documents released under a freedom of information request from Greenpeace’s investigative unit, Unearthed. They also show that Johnson signed off up to £6,000 of lost income for the hire of a room.

The event took place on 27 September in the grand surroundings of the FCO’s map room, and Johnson, Michael Gove and Liam Fox were among the guests.

Critics accused Johnson of allowing public resources to be misused when, following the event, Daniel Hannan, the arch Brexiter who set up the IFT, called for the government to move towards a Singapore-style economy after Britain left the EU.

The government has repeatedly failed to respond to questions from Labour MPs about the event.

Responding to a question in the House of Commons on Wednesday by the Labour MP Chris Bryant, a leading supporter of Open Britain, the foreign secretary said: “There was no cost to the public purse.”

Quick guide Boris Johnson's errors of judgment Show Hide Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Boris Johnson said that the British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, convicted of spying in Iran, was “simply teaching people journalism” – a statement her family and her employer both said was untrue. His comments were subsequently cited as proof that she was engaged in “propaganda against the regime”. 'Dead bodies' After Johnson suggested that the Libyan city of Sirte might become a new Dubai once “the dead bodies” were removed, Downing Street said it was not “an appropriate choice of words”. Myanmar The foreign secretary was accused of “incredible insensitivity” after it emerged he recited part of a colonial-era Rudyard Kipling poem in front of local dignitaries while on an official visit to Myanmar. Whisky sour Johnson apologised after causing a “livid” reaction in a worshipper in a Sikh temple in Bristol by discussing his enthusiasm for ending tariffs on whisky traded between the UK and India. Alcohol is forbidden under some Sikh teachings. Continental drift Boris Johnson referred to Africa as “that country” in his Conservative party conference speech.

Tweet like Trump The foreign secretary suggested he wished he could tweet like Donald Trump, despite intense criticism of the US president’s use of Twitter, on which he has launched personal attacks against his foes.

Papers released on Wednesday showed, however, that civil servants were aware of Gray’s concerns two days after the event.

On 29 September a civil servant wrote: “Sue Gray is clear that IFT should pay the room fee, at full commercial rate … Can I ask you to liaise with them so that I can confirm to Sue that this is happening by cop [close of play] today?”

A covering letter with the documents, sent to Greenpeace this week, makes clear that the initiative has not been asked for the money.

A Foreign Office (FCO) official wrote: “It has been the established policy of the FCO under successive governments to allow a wide range of non-government organisations, including thinktanks, to use their premises. Where the events supported the government’s objectives, the FCO’s established practice allowed for a waiver of the room hire charge. The event was handled in line with that longstanding policy.

“The FCO considered whether to charge IFT a booking fee retrospectively. However, as the event was held in line with the longstanding FCO policy that applied at the time, it was decided it would not be appropriate to do so.”

The foreign secretary was involved in deciding not to charge for the hire, the documents show. A special adviser wrote on 28 June that Johnson was prepared to sign off £6,000 income on the hire of the Locarno suite because the facilities would be handed over for nothing. “Is the FS [foreign secretary] aware of that and content to sign off?” he wrote. The following day another special adviser replied: “Thanks, he is OK with this.” The event was held in the smaller map room, suggesting the costs were less than £6,000.

A letter sent from the cabinet secretary, Jeremy Heywood, to the Labour MP Chuka Umunna suggested that the FCO had not adhered to the rules enforced by other departments, specifically that any external organisation should pay for room hire and have the support of one of the department’s directorates.

The letter said the FCO has changed its rules so that “non-government organisations must pay a licence fee and secure the support of an FCO directorate in order to host an event in rooms at the FCO”.”

Downing Street raised concerns with the Foreign Office about the launch the day before it was held, documents show.



One FCO official wrote: “[No 10] are worried we could come in for some criticism about that. I’m not sighted on the background as to how this came about but if there’s anything I can say to allay their concerns let me know.”

David Frost, one of Johnson’s special advisers, replied: “[Redacted] could give chapter and verse but basically when an event is under ministerial auspices the room is not charged for.”

Dave Penman, the head of the FDA union, said: “The civil service, its values and its estate, cannot simply be the plaything of ministers to support their own pet projects. Once again, we see politicians who cannot separate their own ideological beliefs from the responsibilities of ministerial office.”

Doug Parr, Greenpeace’s policy director, said Johnson had “pulled out all the stops” to help launch a new pressure group that wants to weaken British standards around food, animal welfare and the environment.

“The IFT advocates the hardest of Brexits to secure a trade deal with Trump’s America and now we know the British people paid for their coming out party. Taxpayers will wonder why they’re putting their money where Dan Hannan’s mouth is,” he said.



Umunna said: “By bending over backwards to host the launch of Daniel Hannan’s thinktank in September, the government revealed how utterly desperate it is for ideas about how to deliver Brexit.

“As if Boris Johnson launching such an overtly political event on FCO premises was not bad enough, the fact they provided the room for free, contrary to government protocol, is frankly unacceptable. The ideologues running the IFT shouldn’t be given freebies by the government.”

An FCO spokesperson said: “The cabinet secretary has made clear he does not believe the event or its organisation raises any issues with the ministerial code, the special advisers’ code or the civil service code.”