Ex-U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron admitted to receiving generous payments for Greensill-linked activities but denied any wrongdoing nor knowledge of the firm’s financial difficulties.
Despite a large economic interest in Greensill’s success and «generous» compensation, David Cameron claimed that his involvement with Greensill was not motivated by monetary returns, according to a hearing with the House of Commons' Treasury Committee yesterday.
«I was paid an annual amount […] far more than I earned as prime minister,» he said without disclosing the actual amount nor the number of shares granted by Greensill, dismissing reports of £60 million ($84.3 million) in potential gains as «completely absurd».
At the time of quitting his role as Prime Minister, Cameron was paid £150,000 per year.
«Open to Misinterpretation»
According to Cameron, his involvement with Greensill was part of an attempt to support economic recovery from the pandemic.
But he admitted that any commercial involvement with a person previously in high office is an understandably sensitive matter.
«Lobbying itself is a necessary and healthy part of our democratic process, but I accept that there's a strong argument that having a former prime minister, engage on behalf of any commercial interest, no matter how laudable the motives and cause, can be open to misinterpretation,» he said.
