UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Watchdog Acoba faces backlash for clearing ex-defence secretary Grant Shapps to chair Cambridge Aerospace, despite concerns over defence links.
As reported by The Guardian, critics have slammed the standards body for allowing Grant Shapps to take a role at a defence startup, provided he avoids defence matters.
How Acoba cleared Grant Shapps to chair Cambridge Aerospace?
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments approved Grant Shapps to lead Cambridge Aerospace. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from political ethics experts.
Mr Shapps informed Acoba that CamerinAero, founded after the Tory election defeat, was set up to develop aviation safety technology. He cited drone disruptions at airports as one of the challenges.
The watchdog, facing criticism that it lacks power, cleared Mr Shapps to take the role on condition he restricts himself to strategic advice and avoids defence matters.
Acoba accepted the former Conservative defence minister’s account of Cambridge Aerospace. It said the company “focuses on civilian aerospace”, with no direct link to sensitive defence information.
What did Phil Brickell say about Cambridge Aerospace’s claims?
Labour MP Phil Brickell rejected the claims as “stretching credulity,” citing the company’s public comments and financial supporters.
He said Acoba’s guidance to Mr Shapps was “yet another example” justifying Labour’s pledge to abolish the watchdog.
Mr Brickell stated,
“It’s weak, has no teeth and doesn’t have the powers to prevent conflicts of interest from arising.”
He added,
“Grant Shapps seems to be saying one thing about what he’ll be doing, while his company is saying another. It is stretching credulity to the breaking point. The authorities need to look at this again, and Shapps should resign from this post if he can’t provide satisfactory answers.”
What did Steven Barrett say about Cambridge Aerospace’s mission?
Prof Steven Barrett, co-founder of Cambridge Aerospace and a longtime associate of Shapps, said the firm had
“one mission to protect the UK and our allies from the well-known threats we face from the skies.”
He stated,
“In the less than a year since Cambridge Aerospace was formed, we have developed a range of products, hired nearly 60 people into highly skilled engineering roles, and continue to invest significantly in full domestic manufacturing.”
Mr Barrett added,
“As we have seen in Ukraine, the need to protect against a range of threats from the air, targeted at anything from infrastructure to civilian populations, is only increasing. I am incredibly proud of the work our team has done to provide a low-cost solution that can provide vital defensive capabilities to these threats facing Europe and our allies.”
Chris Sylvan, who co-founded the firm with Mr Barrett, previously held a position at Anduril, a defence company based in California. In a deleted LinkedIn post, he appeared to describe its projects as “robot fighter jets.”
What did Acoba say about Grant Shapps’s aerospace role?
The watchdog Acoba told Shapps its review found only a “limited” risk of conflict of interest.
It added,
“Whilst you will have had oversight of a wide range of information on policy, operations and matters generally affecting defence, there is no direct overlap with your access to sensitive information as this work focuses on civilian aerospace.”
An Acoba spokesperson said the watchdog advised Mr Shapps not to engage in defence matters for the next two years.
They added,
“The committee also took into account that as a qualified pilot since 1995, Mr Shapps had a long-term interest in aviation, unrelated to his time in ministerial office.”
What did Grant Shapps say about joining Cambridge Aerospace?
Grant Shapps stated,
“I joined Cambridge Aerospace because I have always believed in the importance of protecting our civilian airspace — a belief only strengthened by witnessing the devastation caused by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.”
He added,
“As the company has grown, so too have the threats facing our nation. Our mission is to develop technology that can save lives, strengthen UK and allied security, and create highly skilled British jobs. I’m proud to be a founding partner in a business dedicated to those goals.”
Mr Shapps served as defence secretary from August 2023 to July 2024. That tenure falls within the two years, during which former ministers are required to seek Acoba’s approval before taking private sector positions.
What did Transparency International say about the weak oversight of ex-ministers?
A spokesperson for the campaign group Transparency International stated,
“Oversight of this revolving door rests on little more than gentlemen’s agreements, with no means in practice of enforcing the business appointment rules.”
They added,
“It will just invite abuse until the rules governing former ministers entering the private sector are tightened, and properly enforced.”
What did the Acoba rules mean for ex-ministers?
Acoba aims to prevent ministers from using government knowledge for private gain. The rules are designed to maintain fairness and transparency.
The watchdog only offers guidance on appointments and cannot block them. In France, the equivalent body has the power to veto.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, vowed to overhaul Acoba, called “toothless” in 2017. The new system will strengthen checks on former ministers’ private earnings.
What is Cambridge Aerospace’s first product?
Skyhammer, the firm’s first product, targets drones and cruise missiles. Analysts have compared it to Israel’s Iron Dome.
The technology was initially designed to counter drones. It could later be expanded to defend against ballistic and hypersonic missiles. The company intends to run its engineering operations in Munich and a production facility in Gdansk, Poland.
Key facts about Acoba
Acoba, established in 1975 in the UK, advises senior officials on post-government jobs. It guides former ministers and top civil servants seeking private-sector roles within two years to prevent conflicts of interest. However, its advice is non-binding, and compliance is voluntary.