P&O Ferries: questions raised over Grant Shapps’ meeting with DP World

Dubai meeting in November revealed in departmental minutes

The UK transport secretary, Grant Shapps, met DP World boss Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem last November and told him that he was aware of the issues at P&O Ferries" but recognised you will need to make commercial decisions", according to official minutes of the meeting.

The revelation raises further questions about whether Shapps could have acted to head off the mass sackings last week at the Dubai-owned ferry operator.