The universities minister, David Willetts, is one of those involved in the government’s buddying scheme for big business. Photograph: Anna Gordon for the Guardian
News of the buddy scheme that links government ministers with big business (More multinationals to get access to ministers, 19 January) will come as no surprise to those of us who have been researching corporate influence on policymaking in liberal democracies over the past few decades. This is more evidence of the emergence of a transnational capitalist class, in which those who own and control multinationals, alongside globalising politicians and officials, supported by most of the media, continue to push through a corporate, consumerist agenda. Taken with the likely lack of decisive action on the central recommendations of the Leveson inquiry, in which many more buddy relations were documented, this should be a wake-up call to all who care about our democratic way of life.
Leslie Sklair
Emeritus professor of sociology, London School of Economics
• The twinning scheme for ministers and multinationals is a splendid idea. It makes a reality of the term “representative democracy”. I would like to suggest some agenda items for their meetings: tax management, the attractions of Caribbean islands, recipes for country suppers, opportunities in the health business, the polite way to address personal protection officers, internet pseudonyms, separation at birth, and board-level vacancies post-2015.
Kevin Donovan
Birkenhead, Wirral
• As mother of a brain-injured adult in a continuous struggle with the vagaries of the employment and support allowance rules and regulations (including two successful tribunal appeals only to be followed again by withdrawals of benefit and another appeal in prospect), I could do with a direct line of access to one of the Department for Work and Pensions ministers. Our telephone calls and letters to the lower reaches of the department get no meaningful response.
Gillian Dalley
London
Whose interests do our so-called “elected representatives” truly serve? It’s not even ‘hidden in plain sight’. It’s blatant. It’s high time to stop them taking the complete and utter piss.
Disabled people are paying for this shameless treachery with their lives!
See: ‘Private firms’ role in creation of disability assessment regime’ ~ Black Triangle’s Letter Published in The Guardian Posted on September 14, 2012
“Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”
– Benito Mussolini.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/21/buddy-can-you-spare-minister
Crony Capitalism: Figures suggest Shell has had the greatest access to ministers under the ‘buddy’ scheme, with 56 face-to-face meetings since May 2010. Photograph: Robin Utrecht/EPA
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4 Responses
oneworldlemon
18 January 2013 5:04pmLink to this commentRecommend
322
Corporate buddies – as if they needed any more control of our country. The Tory/banker government are guaranteeing the socialisation of corporate losses, while screwing ordinary people.Those running the global economy tend to speak for globalised and essentially stateless corporate bodies. They have profited greatly from the law of the jungle, dodging their taxes and responsibilities to the countries they profit from. They have mastered the art of ensuring the many pay their costs and losses whilst ensuring the profits flow to the very few. These obstinate Tories prefer to be led like donkeys by corporate management companies of McKinsey’s. It’s about time the excesses of bankers and corporates like Tesco are brought to book.
i cant agree with you more .. jeff lph .. ps its called neocon or fashizam
Stuff Big Business Greed The Quality of Life is More Important
those claiming benefits over above whot they deserve jailed those robbing the world population of their daily monies left to do it all over again by this lot yep be prepared to give even more blood for them whilst their mates the bankers roam free jeff3