Former international trade secretary Liam Fox was approached by the gene-sequencing pioneer Oxford Nanopore to raise funds via his contacts in Bahrain.
The MP for North Somerset, who once resigned from cabinet for allowing friend and lobbyist Adam Werritty into defence meetings, applied to parliamentary watchdog the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) to complete a “short piece of work” with Oxford Nanopore.
The company listed in London a fortnight ago for £3.6 billion, raising £350 million from investors. It is now worth £4.6 billion.
Acoba’s advisory letter says Fox was approached by Oxford Nanopore before the end of March 2020 because of his “long career as a doctor” and his interest in “global pandemics”. The letter also highlights Fox’s 15-year friendship with Crown Prince