Minister denies business secretary lied over Treasury talks

A minister has denied that business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng lied, when he told the BBC on Sunday that he was discussing with chancellor Rishi Sunak what help the Treasury could offer to businesses struggling amid rising prices.

After the interview, unnamed Treasury sources accused Kwarteng of “making things up”.

Home Office minister Damian Hinds replied: “Of course not” when asked if Kwarteng had lied regarding the talks.

Hinds told Sky News earlier today that: “These unnamed sources stories come out from time to time. The fact is, government departments, government ministers, talk to each other the whole time, and of course with an issue like this, with these rising global prices and business having to grapple and deal with it to make sure they break even and can make a margin, of course that is something that the business secretary – and of course the energy secretary – is going to be totally focused on.”