(Bloomberg) — A lobbyist who collaborated with Rachel Reeves during this year’s general election campaign has arranged high-level access to the UK government for Donald Tang, the CEO of Chinese fast-fashion company Shein, which is contemplating a listing on the London Stock Exchange, according to a source familiar with the situation. Kamella Hudson, a partner at FGS Global, accompanied Tang to at least two meetings with Treasury ministers last week to talk about the company’s aspirations for a London listing that could potentially value the fast-fashion giant at around £50 billion ($65 billion), as reported by the anonymous source discussing confidential meetings. Hudson set up meetings for her client with the new investment minister, Poppy Gustafsson, and the City minister, Tulip Siddiq, and served as his only advisor during those discussions. These meetings occurred less than a month after Hudson was seen with Reeves — who is now the Chancellor of the Exchequer — at media interviews during the Labour Party’s annual conference in September, after being permitted by FGS to advise her in the lead-up to the UK’s general election on July 4. FGS provided Reeves with “the services of a campaign adviser” from February to May, as recorded in four entries in the parliamentary register of members’ financial interests, amounting to £14,213. FGS noted in an email that Hudson had volunteered for Labour earlier this year, while emphasizing that she has never been a government employee. It chose not to provide any comments about its clients. Hudson did not respond right away to requests for comments, and both Shein and the Treasury chose not to comment. In January, Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to eliminate the “revolving doors” between the government and the companies it oversees. However, the information regarding Hudson raises concerns about Labour’s dedication to creating clearer distinctions between government and business. As the opposition leader, Starmer condemned past Conservative governments for their handling of contract awards during the Covid-19 pandemic and pointed out former Prime Minister David Cameron’s lobbying efforts for Greensill Capital. A listing for Shein would probably be London’s largest in over ten years, aiding the exchange in regaining some of the market value it has lost due to companies relocating their primary listings to New York. However, Labour also risks political backlash if it’s perceived as engaging with a company that has been accused—an allegation it rejects—of utilizing cotton linked to forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China.
