London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 19, 2026

Don't mix business and public duty, Tory co-chair Ben Elliott told

Don't mix business and public duty, Tory co-chair Ben Elliott told

Conservative Party co-chair Ben Elliot has been warned to maintain a "clear distinction" between his public duties and his private business interests.
The lobbying watchdog investigated after reports suggested Mr Elliot's firm Quintessentially had arranged access to top politicians for clients.

It found it "had not been engaging in consultant lobbying activity".

But it urged Mr Elliot to be "cautious" and ensure his two roles remain separate.

Mr Elliot's spokesman said: "The registrar has made clear that Quintessentially does not lobby government and therefore does not need to register as a lobbyist."

Labour said Prime Minister Boris Johnson should sack him from his role in the Conservative Party.

Lobbying is the widely used term for individuals, businesses, trade unions, groups or charities trying to persuade a government to change its policies.

The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) began an investigation last month into whether Quintessentially - which provides art, travel services and property for wealthy clients - had become an "unregistered consultant lobbyist".

It found the company had given "substantive assurances that no consultant lobbying is undertaken" on behalf of customers.

But the ORCL also said Mr Elliot should be careful "about the possibility of engaging in consultant lobbying activity (perhaps unintentionally) by not making a clear enough distinction between his role as a director of Quintessentially and his other activities connected to government".

Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds said: "The lobbying regulator is sending a clear message to Boris Johnson about the actions of the co-chair of the Conservative Party."

She added: "Boris Johnson appointed this man to his post, so the prime minister must take responsibility and remove him immediately."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Netherlands Declares Water Shortage Emergency After Drought Pushes Rivers to Historic Lows
Iran Claims It Destroyed Bahrain’s Main Artificial Intelligence Center in Missile and Drone Strike
Brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate Who Turned "Toxic Masculinity" Into a Brand Arrested in Miami as Britain Seeks Their Extradition
Gold and Cash Seizure Puts Indonesia’s Senior Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Under Investigation
The Ledger Will Not Trust on Faith
Bank of Asia BVI Enters Court-Supervised Liquidation After Regulators Find It Insolvent
Singapore Considers Lower Taxes for Fund Managers as Hong Kong Intensifies Talent Contest
US Retaliates Against Iran After Two American Troops Killed in Jordan
Proposed U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Pact Could Permit Limited Uranium Enrichment Under International Safeguards
Bank of England Warns Climate Shocks Could Trigger Sudden Asset Repricing
UK Treasury Places Microsoft, Google, AWS and Oracle Under New Financial Resilience Rules
Scottish Government Faces Pressure Over Delays in Vulnerable Group Background Checks
Crown Prosecution Service Authorises Additional Charges Against Andrew and Tristan Tate
NHS Approves At-Home Cancer Treatments for Rare Blood Disorders
Bank of England Gains Oversight of Major Cloud Providers Supporting UK Financial System
UK Government Plans Major Overhaul of English Local Councils Through New Unitary Authorities
British Steel Nationalisation Dispute Escalates as Chinese Owner Jingye Seeks Compensation
Bank of England Signals Interest Rates Will Stay High as It Warns of Financial Risks From Climate and AI
Trump Administration Pressures Banks to Restrict Financial Access for Undocumented Immigrants
Passenger Bound for Germany Refused to Sit Beside a Woman on a Plane — Then Slapped a Flight Attendant
Ukraine’s Leadership Rift Spills Into the Streets as Protesters Target Army Chief
Ukrainian Drone Barrage Kills Eight and Strikes Russian Logistics Network
Key Trends to Watch
Financial Conduct Authority Warns Cloud and Digital Risks Are Becoming a Financial Priority
Jeffrey Donaldson Appeals Sexual Abuse Conviction as Democratic Unionist Party Opens Review
Welsh Health Authorities Launch Emergency Meningitis Vaccination Programme for Students
Scottish Business Activity Falls for Third Month as Companies Face Rising Costs
Bank of England Regulators Demand Better Access to Digital Banking Services
United Kingdom Cuts Bilateral Aid to Several African Countries by Up to Ninety Per Cent
United Kingdom Introduces Tougher Deportation Rules After Rochdale Exploitation Scandal
NHS England Launches Wearable Technology Plan to Reduce Sepsis Deaths
Amazon Web Services Billing Error Sends Trillion-Dollar Invoices to British Companies
Bank of England Takes Direct Regulatory Role Over Major Global Cloud Providers
Extreme Summer Heat Drives Record Fire Risk and Rising Deaths Across Britain
United Kingdom Nationalisation of British Steel Sparks Diplomatic Dispute With China
United Kingdom Economy Shows Weak Growth Ahead of Major Autumn Budget
Andy Burnham Set to Become United Kingdom Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Victory
The Ten World Cup Finals That Defined Football History
Smartphones Are Getting More Expensive, Sales Are Collapsing, and Even Apple Admits: "Prices Will Rise"
The Monaco Bombing Has Become a Test of Ukraine’s Intelligence Accountability
Leadership Change and Strategic Rivalry Redraw the Political Map
Energy Risk, Uneven Growth and the New Geography of Global Capital
The AI Race Enters Its Infrastructure Era
Security and resilience remain long-term national priorities
Britain balances growth ambitions with public finance pressures
Regional devolution becomes a defining theme of the next Labour era
Industrial strategy returns to the centre of British economic policy
Political Instability Remains a Challenge for UK Investment Confidence
Brexit Economic Debate Continues as Public Concerns Over Long-Term Impact Remain
UK Climate Risks Rise as Met Office Warns Extreme Weather Is Becoming More Common
×