A former UK anti-corruption adviser and champion for David Cameron called for a register of second jobs for senior civil servants as the lobbying scandal surrounding the former prime minister rumbles on.
Eric Pickles, who heads a body advising on private sector appointments for former ministers, called for urgent reform after the head of the Civil Service launched a review to discover if senior officials were breaking the rules.
“If there isn’t a clear record, I would be extremely worried,” Mr Pickles told a British parliamentary committee on Thursday.
The second jobs review was sparked by news that Bill Crothers, a senior civil servant in charge of procurement, worked part-time for the collapsed finance company Greensill Capital while still on the government payroll.
Investment banker Lex Greensill, who ran the company, worked as an adviser to Mr Cameron.
After leaving the prime ministerial office in 2016, Mr Cameron lobbied for Greensill, sending text messages to the private phone of the UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and arranging a private meeting with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, seeking taxpayer funds.
The company’s collapse in March, which put thousands of British jobs at risk, prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order an independent review. The opposition Labour Party wants a wide-ranging inquiry into “sleaze and cronyism” in the top ranks of government.
Mr Pickles told members of Parliament on Thursday that the Greensill affair was a scandal waiting to happen because of lax rules regarding government appointments and second jobs. He said no boundaries between civil servants and the private sector were apparent.
The former minister, who was appointed as Mr Cameron’s anti-corruption champion in 2015, said he was worried that unpaid advisers, such as Mr Greensill, were not subject to proper scrutiny before taking on roles in government.
“I have been worried about the possibility of a scandal with regards to this for some time,” he said.
He said that of the 34,000 people who left the Civil Service in the past year, only 108 were scrutinised by his committee over their next jobs to assess if they could improperly use government contacts to further their careers.
"There is nothing wrong with lobbyists,” he said. “What is wrong is with unregulated lobbying, secret lobbying, and people getting an undue advantage.”
The head of the committee, Conservative MP William Wragg, announced that it would conduct its own inquiry into matters around Greensill.
He said that Mr Cameron’s actions were “tasteless and slapdash”. The former prime minister denied wrongdoing, but said that he should have used official channels to contact Mr Sunak.
The scandal could be particularly damaging for the Conservative Party, which was out of government for more than a decade from 1997 after it was brought low by a succession of personal and financial sleaze scandals.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
