Facts

George Eustice, the environment secretary, claimed on the Andrew Marr Show that the current rules on lobbying were “quite robust.”

He also told Sky’s Sophy Ridge the same day: “I think that the systems we have in place with ministers declaring interest, with the ministerial code and the focus on that and how ministers conduct themselves in office, is actually a pretty good one.”

Under the current lobbying laws, ex-Prime Minister David Cameron was able to personally lobby Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Greensill’s behalf and was able to arrange for its founder, Lex Greensill, to have a “private drink” with Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Verdict

George Eustice’s claim that the lobbying rules are “quite robust” was absurd.

We contacted George Eustice’s office to ask about this but we received no response.