LONDON: A Conservative minister has been accused by the opposition of offering Indian IT giant Infosys, in which UK PM Rishi Sunak’s wife has shares, “VIP access” to Britain.
Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth of Labour and Co-op Party told the Sunday Mirror: “The public will wonder why an outfit so personally close to Rishi Sunak appears to have been granted this VIP access. There are serious questions to answer.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper added: “We must have full transparency of all government dealings with a firm so closely linked to the Prime Minister.”
The “Sunday Mirror” used freedom of information requests to release details of a meeting between UK investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson and Infosys at its Bengaluru headquarters in April 2023, when Johnson was on a four-day trip to India. Infosys was one of just 10 firms chosen for a face-to-face meeting with the peer.
Infosys is currently vying for public contracts worth £750 million in UK.
“Sunday Mirror” reported that according to the meeting notes, Johnson told the firm, founded by Akshata Murty’s father, that he “was keen to see a bigger Infosys presence in the UK and would be happy to do what he could to facilitate that”. He also said: “We value the relationship with Infosys and will continue to engage at a ministerial level when requested of us.”
Johnson also gave advice to Infosys executives on how to obtain mobility visas for UK staff and reassured them of the growth prospects of the UK economy. An Infosys executive told Johnson that “talent was one of the attractions of the UK, but it was hard to find enough skilled people”, Sunday Mirror reported.
The minister’s briefing notes said: “Reassure that the FTA will further create new opportunities and investor friendly policies.”
Akshata Murty earned £13 million last year in dividends from her 0.91% stake in Infosys, according the UK newspaper.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “The investment minister regularly meets businesses and international investors, including a range of Indian businesses, to champion the UK as an investment destination.”
All the minister’s meetings are disclosed in the department’s quarterly public transparency report. Recent Indian companies the minister has met with in the UK include the India Business Group, Reliance Industries and Genpact.
Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth of Labour and Co-op Party told the Sunday Mirror: “The public will wonder why an outfit so personally close to Rishi Sunak appears to have been granted this VIP access. There are serious questions to answer.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper added: “We must have full transparency of all government dealings with a firm so closely linked to the Prime Minister.”
The “Sunday Mirror” used freedom of information requests to release details of a meeting between UK investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson and Infosys at its Bengaluru headquarters in April 2023, when Johnson was on a four-day trip to India. Infosys was one of just 10 firms chosen for a face-to-face meeting with the peer.
Infosys is currently vying for public contracts worth £750 million in UK.
“Sunday Mirror” reported that according to the meeting notes, Johnson told the firm, founded by Akshata Murty’s father, that he “was keen to see a bigger Infosys presence in the UK and would be happy to do what he could to facilitate that”. He also said: “We value the relationship with Infosys and will continue to engage at a ministerial level when requested of us.”
Johnson also gave advice to Infosys executives on how to obtain mobility visas for UK staff and reassured them of the growth prospects of the UK economy. An Infosys executive told Johnson that “talent was one of the attractions of the UK, but it was hard to find enough skilled people”, Sunday Mirror reported.
The minister’s briefing notes said: “Reassure that the FTA will further create new opportunities and investor friendly policies.”
Akshata Murty earned £13 million last year in dividends from her 0.91% stake in Infosys, according the UK newspaper.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “The investment minister regularly meets businesses and international investors, including a range of Indian businesses, to champion the UK as an investment destination.”
All the minister’s meetings are disclosed in the department’s quarterly public transparency report. Recent Indian companies the minister has met with in the UK include the India Business Group, Reliance Industries and Genpact.