Peer Pressure (Private Eye) Lords’ interests, Issue 1352 LORD Peter Mandelson’s tortuous efforts to keep clients of his consultancy firm Global Counsel LLP secret, in the face of parliamentary rule changes designed to expose peers’ clients, have been undermined by the Eye obtaining an extensive email list from the firm. A spokesman for Global Counsel told the Eye that the list was likely to be the mailing list for one of the firm’s research notes. But anyone trying to subscribe for these will soon find that they have to be accepted as part of Global Counsel’s high-powered “clients and network”. Among the “clients and network” are energy companies BP, Shell and Eon, all of which would suffer under the energy-price freeze proposed by Labour leader Ed Miliband that Mandelson so vehemently disagreed with. Experience in government Other big-hitters on the list include representatives (often more than one) of: JP Morgan (employer of one T. Blair), Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs – all battling European regulations on bankers’ pay – Vodafone, Novartis, HSBC, Diageo, Glencore, Unilever and several Russian and eastern European firms. All would gain from Global Counsel’s promise to “add value” by “combining our understanding of politics and economics with our experience in government”. Although Global Counsel would not say which are or were clients, the Eye knows that one on the list certainly was. This is Betfair, an internet-based “betting exchange” registered in Gibraltar and facing tricky questions over licences in European countries such as Italy and Greece and for whom Mandelson’s experience as a European trade commissioner must have looked attractive. The obvious public interest in knowing who is paying peers prompted a rethink last year on the rules. Since March, members of the upper house have had to reveal clients of their consultancy firms if they provide “personal services” to them. Other peers with such firms (unsurprisingly, quite a few) accordingly declare several clients. But despite saying in 2010 that “I’m looking forward to getting behind my desk and working alongside businesses whose values I share”, ie providing “personal services”, Mandelson’s register entry remains devoid of client names. Do not need to register The nil returns have somehow satisfied the Lords Registrar, David Beamish. Last November he wrote to the peer: “I am satisfied from the information that you have provided that you do not have any “personal clients” of the kind referred to in the Committee for Privileges and Conduct’s 1st Report [of 2012/13]. Accordingly, you do not need to register any of Global Counsel’s clients.” Yet the report Beamish cites says: “We stress that payments made to a company should be registered if they arise wholly or in part out of the activities of the Member”. The payments to Global Counsel certainly fall into this category, a spokesman confirming to the Eye that Mandelson does work with clients “as part of a team”. After the 2012/13 standards report the rules now say “a Member should list any of [a company’s] clients to whom personal services or advice are provided, either directly or indirectly”. This clearly encompasses Mandelson’s work and it is hard to see how Beamish, a former Mastermind champion, reached a conclusion so helpful to him. Mandelson’s “network” shows that the old spin doctor remains plugged in to the top of government, too. The email list includes movers and shakers such as George Osborne’s special adviser Thea Rogers, business department permanent secretary Martin Donnelly, UKTI chief executive Nick Baird, David Cameron’s national security adviser at the Cabinet Office Sir Kim Darroch, Moscow diplomat Denis Keefe and director of the European and global issues secretariat at the Cabinet Office, Andrew Lapsley. None of which, of course, suggests that Mandy, or any current political high flyer contemplating ermine and a rich client roster, should have to declare who pays them. Peer Pressure
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 08:41:16 +0000
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