Lynton Crosby firm lobbied ministers while advising Boris Johnson

Exclusive: CT Group's activities on behalf of energy, tobacco and property firms raise questions over potential conflict of interest

Sir Lynton Crosby's CT Group was lobbying ministers on behalf of a coal trader, a tobacco company, and property firms at the same time as providing political advice to Boris Johnson, the Guardian can reveal.

The Australian election guru returned to provide strategic political advice" to Johnson and his party after the Partygate scandal earlier this year, with the then prime minister promising discontented Conservative MPs in February that Crosby would be playing a bigger role.