Mayites collect their Brexit dividend

Few people in Westminster have a good word to say about the Theresa May years. But for those who served at the heart of the former PM’s doomed administration, life now seems to be pretty sweet. Take Sir Robbie Gibb, May’s director of communications, who now runs his own firm, RPG Consultancy. 

The company published its accounts this week and it seems the man tasked with selling May’s Brexit deal is doing better at selling himself, with his firm’s assets jumping from £142,000 in 2020 to £292,000 in 2021 – a surge in capital and reserves from £79,000 to £228,000. Kerching! 

Gibb has also bagged himself a plum paid gig dispensing advice at Kekst CNC – part of the largest communications firm in the world, Publicis Groupe, for an unknown salary. Yet not all of Sir Robbie’s side hustles are done for cash: he accidentally landed lobbying group The Enterprise Forum in hot water after failing to seek advice before taking an unpaid role. 

He also found time to provide pro bono advice for the government’s (mishandled) media launch of the Sewell Report last Spring. Still, at least he’s doing better than brother Nick, who (finally) lost his education brief at the last reshuffle. No wonder the latter has now put a letter of no confidence in on Boris.

Others enjoying the good life now include Gavin Barwell, now Lord Barwell, since May gifted him a peerage in her Resignation Honours’ List. As a member of the Lords he has to declare his outside earnings, which saw his eponymous company make £226,000 in current and fixed assets, prepayments and accrued income in 2020, leaving him with almost £28,000 overall. 

As well as his consultancy which primarily focuses on housing – convenient for a former planning minister – Barwell also has a paid gig at the Clarion Housing Group. Sitting alongside him in the Upper House include a trio of former Downing Street colleagues, with Stephen Parkinson and JoJo Penn now serving on the frontbench while Liz Sanderson sits at the back.

May herself meanwhile has made more than £2 million in speech fees since being forced out of No. 10, with the ex-premier making almost £4-a-second for a £127,000 speech in Florida last month. Trebles all round!