By Treasury Minister resigns over fraudulent Covid business loans
A Conservative minister has resigned after attacking the government’s handling of fraudulent Covid business loans.
Lord Agnew of Oulton accused the Treasury of having “no interest in the consequences of fraud to our society”.
Last year, the National Audit Office criticised the government for failing to put in measures to prevent people exploiting Covid schemes.
Lord Agnew said his departure was “not an attack on the prime minister”.
The minister said “a combination of arrogance, indolence and ignorance” was “freezing the government machine”.
“I hope that as a virtually unknown minister beyond this place giving up my career might prompt other to get behind this and sort it out,” he said.
The Treasury minister read out his resignation speech in response to a question about loans at the House of Lords today.
He concluded with a “thank you and goodbye” before dramatically departing the chamber to a round of applause from his former colleagues.
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