The Corruption of New Labour: Britain’s Watergate?

[John Simkin]

We now know that Blair lied about the decision to bring an end to the police investigation of the BAE System scandal. The letter from Mr Blair to Lord Goldsmith dated 8 December 2006 was released to the High Court during a case brought by two pressure groups who are challenging the legality of the decision to end investigations into BAE Systems' dealings with Saudi Arabia.

There was uproar when the Serious Fraud Office inquiry into the Al Yamamah contract from the 1980s was dropped, but Mr Blair insisted the decision was taken on security grounds and was not linked to commercial interests. Yet the letter shows that was not the case. In the letter Blair refers to "concern" over ongoing business negotiations. It refers "critical difficulties" that might have affected the major contract for new military aircraft. Six days after the letter was written, Lord Goldsmith announced to the House of Lords that the probe into allegations of kickbacks to Saudi princes was being suspended.

He said diplomatic cooperation between Britain and Saudi Arabia was being put at risk by the investigation, with implications for UK security. Recent reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia had threatened to pull out of a potential new order for Typhoons. In the letter to Lord Goldsmith, Mr Blair acknowledged that his intervention in such a case was unusual but said he would be failing in his duty if he did not point out the security issues at stake.

[Guest Gary Loughran]

Aye but he's a Catholic now and all his past 'transgressions' can now be absolved. Albeit at every confession he most likely will begin "Bless me Father, I have sinned, I told lies last time I was here..."

[John Simkin]

Aye but he's a Catholic now and all his past 'transgressions' can now be absolved. Albeit at every confession he most likely will begin "Bless me Father, I have sinned, I told lies last time I was here..."

One reason Blair kept quiet about his Roman Catholicism is that one of the main differences from Protestantism is the belief in the infallibility of the Pope. This of course would have been very embarrassing for Blair as the Pope was opposed to the invasion of Iraq. In Blair case, he believes in the infallibility of George Bush.

[Guest Gary Loughran]

Tony has now got himself a nice little earner over at JP Morgan investment bank, in a "senior advisory capacity". He is looking forward to advising the bank on "political and economic changes that globalisation brings". The bank are paying him an estimated $1 mil, or £500,000 for hiss "unique perspective".

I know this tyoe of appointment is fairly typical kickback, but I'm sure John and David will have something more to add. The piece above is taken from BBC Ceefax.

[John Simkin]

Tony has now got himself a nice little earner over at JP Morgan investment bank, in a "senior advisory capacity". He is looking forward to advising the bank on "political and economic changes that globalisation brings". The bank are paying him an estimated $1 mil, or £500,000 for hiss "unique perspective".

I know this tyoe of appointment is fairly typical kickback, but I'm sure John and David will have something more to add. The piece above is taken from BBC Ceefax.

Blair does appear to be doing very well for himself. Since he left office he has received £500,000 from speeches and a £5m advance for his memoirs. He has also got a £64,000 a year pension. He does not get a salary for being a Middle East envoy but already he has claimed £400,000 in expenses.

Although the previous two Tory prime ministers have done well for themselves, this has not been the case with Labour PMs. For example, Harold Wilson, had to take a job as a television interviewer when he was already suffering from Alzheimer's disease, in order to make a little bit of money in his retirement. At the time it was considered immoral for former prime ministers to get jobs with private companies. The reason being as it could be seen as a payback for legislation introduced when in power. How things have changed.

[Guest]

Given Mr Blair's recent conversion to Roman Catholicism I invite users to speculate about the contents of his first confession

[Robert Charles-Dunne]

Blair does appear to be doing very well for himself. Since he left office he has received £500,000 from speeches and a £5m advance for his memoirs. He has also got a £64,000 a year pension. He does not get a salary for being a Middle East envoy but already he has claimed £400,000 in expenses.

Calgary, Alberta - long the right[wing] armpit of Canada, but now awash in oil revenue and positioning itself as the centre of all that is grand in Canada - is currently all abuzz with the news that Tony Blair is on his way to deliver a speech on the topic of "Building Global Relations."

One cannot wait for George Bush's speech to Calgarians on the topic of "The Importance of Diplomacy in Avoiding War."

http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=...ce-3fb4e1c35fdf

[Maggie Hansen]

Given Mr Blair's recent conversion to Roman Catholicism I invite users to speculate about the contents of his first confession

Do we have that much space here? Or time? I would get RSI if I took up the challenge.

It used to be that the wages of sin were death but I hear that Blair is doing rather better these days.

His friends in the media are doing okay too.

http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2008-01/12edwards.cfm

[John Simkin]

Given Mr Blair's recent conversion to Roman Catholicism I invite users to speculate about the contents of his first confession

Do we have that much space here? Or time? I would get RSI if I took up the challenge.

It used to be that the wages of sin were death but I hear that Blair is doing rather better these days.

His friends in the media are doing okay too.

http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2008-01/12edwards.cfm

Thanks for that Maggie. David Aaronovitch has played an important role as Tony Blair's foreign policy advisor. Like many of the Neo-Cons, Aaronovitch is a former Jewish Marxist who became converted into a passionate Zionist. I wonder how much it cost?

[Paul Rigby]

Tony has now got himself a nice little earner over at JP Morgan investment bank...

The bank that refloated Mussolini and fellow gangsters in the mid-1920s.

Continuity, you can't beat it.

[John Simkin]

The latest development in the corruption of New Labour concerns Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Works and Pensions.

I have a lot in common with Hain. We both have a M.Phil. from the University of Sussex (we were there at the same time). We have both been active in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, Anti-Nazi League, and various left-wing pressure groups within the Labour Party. Then, in 1995 he joined the New Labour Project. Since 1997 he has held various posts in the Blair government.

When Blair was forced to resign as prime minister in 2007 Hain decided to stand in the election for deputy prime minister. Hain attempted to present himself as the left-wing candidate. He made a speech attacking the George Bush administration

As being: "the most right-wing American administration, if not ever, then in living memory". He also raised issues concerning the redistribution of wealth in the UK. However, his record in power had not been good and had gone along with the invasion of Iraq and the other right-wing policies of the Blair government.

The left-wing of the Labour Party was not impressed and instead supported Harriet Harman, who had more credibility because she had been sacked by Blair as Secretary of State for Social Security in 1998.

Harman won the Deputy Leadership election, with Hain coming in a poor fifth. In November 2007, it emerged that property developer David Abrahams' secretary Janet Kidd had given a donation of £5,000 donor to Harman's successful deputy leadership bid. The funding of Harman’s campaign, much of it having being paid into her account, after the election had taken place, is now being investigated by the police.

Last week the Guardian reported that Hain had not reported £100,000 in contributions for his deputy leader campaign. It later emerged that a large part of these funds were channeled through a non-operating think tank the Progressive Policies Forum. On Saturday (12th January) Peter Hain released a statement saying that being busy with his government jobs it was simply forgotten about the money. Like in the case of Harman, most of this money was paid after the election had taken place.

This raises several issues. For example, why does it cost so much money to run a campaign to become deputy leader of the Labour Party? Also, why would individuals give large sums of money to a candidate for a job that on the surface seems to have little power. Why would the Progressive Policies Forum (PPF) want to give money to Hain. The PPF set up by Labour party adviser John Underwood in December 2006. Gregory McEwen, a solicitor, is the PPF's single director and only shareholder. Although it is sometimes characterized as a "think tank", it has no employees, has not published any work and has no website.

All told it channelled funds of over £50,000 to Peter Hain's campaign for the May 2007 Labour Party's deputy leadership campaign. This money came via three businessmen, Willie Nagel, Isaac Kaye and Michael Cuddy. Clearly, they did this as they did not want to be identified as Hain’s backers. Why?

Nagel is a former diamond broker from South Africa, whereas Kaye is the former chairman of Norton Healthcare, a pharmaceuticals company investigated by the police over accusations of price rigging of drugs sold to the NHS. Kaye, who like Nagel, originally came from South Africa, has also been active is technology, investment and healthcare in Israel. Nagel and Kaye are both major financial contributors to pro-Israeli pressure groups. Both men were also financial supporters of the Conservative Party until Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party. Kaye provided money via Lord Levy for Blair’s campaign to become leader of the Labour Party.

Mike Cuddy owns a Welsh demolition business – Cuddy Group. In the past Hain has issued statements praising the company. Cuddy denies that there is any link between the donation of £10,000 to Hain’s campaign and his commendation of his company.

[Guest David Guyatt]

The latest development in the corruption of New Labour concerns Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Corrupt Works and post government service City Pensions.

Will he eventually join Bliar at JP Morgan?

[John Simkin]

The latest development in the corruption of New Labour concerns Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Corrupt Works and post government service City Pensions.

Will he eventually join Bliar at JP Morgan?

More likely to end up on the board of Norton Healthcare.

[John Simkin]

Lord Levy is to publish a “warts and all” account of life as a government and Labour Party adviser this year. Normally, the autobiographies of government officials are usually censored under the rules of the Official Secrets Act. However, as Levy was never on the government payroll (he held an unpaid job), he is free to write what he likes.

Levy is unlikely to reveal anything about his corrupt activities on behalf of the Israeli government. However, Levy has several scores to settle with some members of the party, especially Gordon Brown, who made it clear that he did not want him involved in his government. It has to be remembered that Levy not only created a so-called “blind trust” for Tony Blair when he became leader of the Labour Party. He also did the same thing for his deputy, Gordon Brown. The problem that faces Levy is – can he expose Brown’s corruption without revealing his own dubious activities?

[Guest Gary Loughran]

Blair really has got the wheelbarrow out at the minute and is, as they say, filling his boots. He's recently accepted another 'advisory' job with Zurich, the Swiss giants.

Seems you can't keep a bad man down.