Correspondence from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office, breaches of the Rules (Better Earth, BIA Advisory)
Updated 10 October 2025
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The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
Dear Mr Jones,
I am writing to you in my capacity as Interim Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) regarding recent correspondence with the Rt Hon Boris Johnson.
The Committee is independent, with a remit to consider the risks associated with applications received under the government’s Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) and advise on the conditions that should apply.
The Rules are set by the government and the requirement for former ministers to seek and abide by ACOBA’s advice is set out clearly in the Ministerial Code, including specifically that: ‘…Former Ministers must ensure that no new appointments are announced, or taken up, before the Committee has been able to provide its advice.’
It has been reported in the media that Mr Johnson sought to make introductions/discuss work on behalf of two companies: Better Earth and/or BIA Advisory with foreign government representatives and that he entered into contracts/carried out work with Better Earth and/or BIA Advisory without first receiving ACOBA’s advice. To do so would be a breach of the Rules and/or ACOBA’s advice.
Mr Johnson has repeatedly been asked by ACOBA to correct the record if this is not the case. He has not.
Mr Johnson is aggrieved that ACOBA sought to investigate these allegations, given how the information behind them was obtained. The government’s business appointments system relies on the cooperation of applicants and departments. As outlined in the correspondence with Mr Johnson (enclosed), ACOBA has a duty to investigate any breaches of the Rules and it is in the public interest to do so. Mr Johnson’s lack of cooperation with ACOBA and failure to deny the allegations has led me to report this to you as a breach of the government’s Rules.
As owner of the Rules, it is for the government to decide what action to take in relation to this breach.
In line with ACOBA’s policy of transparency this correspondence will be published.
Isabel Doverty
Interim Chair
Advisory Committee on Business Appointments
Enc: Correspondence between ACOBA and Mr Johnson
Copied to: The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office; Simon Madden, Director of Propriety & Ethics, Cabinet Office; Rt Hon Boris Johnson