Uber is at the center of a brewing political row in London involving former UK prime minister David Cameron and his chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne.
According to the Daily Mail, aides working in Cameron’s government allegedly tried to stop attempts by former Mayor of London Boris Johnson to halt the rampant growth of the US taxi firm in the British capital.
The paper said Uber pays only 1% tax in the UK and is guilty of clogging up London’s roads with thousands of Toyota Prius cars. The firm is also killing London’s traditional black cab trade – all factors which motivated Mayor Johnson to act.
But today it has come to light that Cameron’s government failed to provide details under Freedom of Information laws last year about meetings between Uber and UK government representatives which the paper said could be a smoking gun.
There are calls for a full inquiry.
Opposition politicians have highlighted the friendship between Rachel Whetstone, a senior vice-president at Uber, and Cameron and Osborne. Ms Whetstone was the godmother of one of Cameron’s children, Ivan, who died several years ago.
Labour MP Wes Streeting said: “It is pretty clear that, in contrast to the openness and transparency of Transport for London, that Downing Street under David Cameron tried to cover up its cosy relationship with Uber. Under David Cameron, Downing Street was clearly acting as the lobbying arm for Uber which is extraordinary.”
Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem chairwoman of the London Assembly’s transport committee, said: “This blatant cover-up by 10 Downing Street must now lead to a formal inquiry.”
In September 2015, Johnson threatened to curb Uber by insisting that all its drivers pass a written English test and wait at least five minutes before accepting a booking and picking up a customer.
Just hours later, Mayor Johnson and his senior aides reportedly received messages querying the moves from Downing Street.
Daniel Korski, the deputy head of Cameron’s policy unit, was assigned to ensure that Johnson “did nothing whatsoever to upset the Californian web company,” it’s been alleged.
Cameron quit politics last summer after Britain voted to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum. Osborne remains an MP. He recently took a $750,000 a year job as an advisor to US investment firm BlackRock, which owns a multi-million stake in Uber.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “Any suggestion of a cover-up is categorically untrue. Anyone who is dissatisfied with an FoI response is advised that they have the right to request an internal review about its handling.”
