‘Biased’ Robert Jenrick backed mogul’s £1bn Isle of Dogs deal

The housing secretary unlawfully approved a property development of a billionaire tycoon who once donated to the Conservative Party.

Robert Jenrick has accepted that he showed “apparent bias” when he gave the green light for Richard Desmond to build 1,500 homes in the Isle of Dogs, east London. The timing of the decision meant that the mogul avoided a £40 million bill over the scheme.

Mr Jenrick agreed that planning approval should be quashed after the council initiated legal action against him alleging that the timing showed bias. Mr Jenrick rubber-stamped the scheme against the advice of the government’s planning inspector.

The leader of the local Conservative group resigned over the decision and has called for an investigation.

Mr Desmond, 68, sold off the Daily