Gerald Howarth MP as a junior defence minister? No fanks! http://bit.ly/amSWz6 #shamelessbrasseyeclip

Ahaha! Oh, I knew I’d seen him before.

This is a fine, relevant post.

What about the oil industry as well?

Alan Duncan “The Bonsai Hesletine” made millions from working in the oil indusrty, including over a million pounds profiting from the need to supply oil to Pakistan after Kuwait’s supplies had been disrupted in the Gulf War.

Now he has been has been appointed as Minister of State for International Development.

I bet know what his concept of International Development is.

Off topic but UNITE has just won it’s appeal against the banning of their strike. There is a small bit of justice out there.

Whilst Mr Howarth is not exactly a good example to make this point on (anyone who gives lobbyists a pass should be thrown out of parliament – although I see no links to any defences he may have produced (‘he paid well…’)), I worry about the logic of this – condemning someone for links to an industry, which he has not yet abused (in this position), effectively means many people with a link to an area that will give them insight into their portfolio will not be allowed.

Logically this means generals should not be allowed to serve in the Ministry of Defence, or officials of Unite or Unison in any department employing public servants, because they too have a prior interest. Whilst it is sensible to be forewarned, I fear Guido (I notice that his nom-de-pluie is in fashion today) is so desperate for further scandal and corruption that he has forgotten to wait till it is proven (to be fair, this is not exactly unusual). I have no problem with publicising this sort of link as a potential abuse, to allow everyone to watch (and to remind politicians they are being watched) but I can’t see how a prior link to a portfolio stops you occupying it. Unless you are really going to believe all business men/politicians are corrupt…

Anyone tempted to argue against my point by using Mr Howarth as an example, please note that I don’t know enough about him to defend him personally, nor would I care to (he seems to be the sort of supporter of the military-industrial complex (to misuse a phrase) that should not be allowed near government. But I have only quotes and prior history to go on, and maybe Mr Cameron knows more than I about him (but personally I hope the Liberal Democrat in defence is sensible…).

And on the Labour side we have a party who had a PM who actively intervened to stop the courts investigating the biggest case of fraud and corruption at the heart of British government in history. While the Tories are bad, Labour have nothing to be crowing about.

More power to the police ? I think not !! One has only to look to the Wiltshire Police investigation into Porton Down to see corruption (coverup) on a grand scale. This unaccountable police force did not investigate serious crimes such as the many servicemen who remain missing after being injected with a bacterial endo toxin that was derived from salmonella abortus equi. When asked to investigate the whereabouts of the missing airmen the Wiltshire Police choose to remain silent.

26 Jan 2009:

The Telegraph can disclose that (Labour Peer} Lord Moonie, a former defence minister, recently gave a parliamentary pass, primarily intended for staff, to Robin Ashby, who has previously lobbied for BAE Systems, Northern Defence Industries, Boeing and Rolls-Royce.

Mr Ashby, who is also the director of the UK Defence Forum, an organisation sponsored by the country’s major arms companies, and who still owns a consultancy, was given the pass by Lord Moonie in the autumn.

Ah yes,

Welfare for WASPS.

Conservatives just love that corporate welfare.