Barker under investigation

Greg Barker, the energy minister whose relatioship with a lobbyist raised eyebrows here a few days ago is apparently under investigation by the cabinet office.

The prime minister has disclosed that the close ties between Greg Barker, the climate change minister, and the energy consultant Miriam Maes have raised such concern within Whitehall that the cabinet secretary and a permanent secretary have been asked to examine whether she was properly appointed.

I can't say I'm holding my breath. Experience of suggests that Whitehall investigations, and particularly those involving green tinged politicians, end with a nod and a wink.

Comments

[Paul]

Yes, what did Yes Prime Minister say about Whitehall investigations?

[Phillip Bratby]

Not just a nod and a wink - usually onwards to a bigger trough.

[Jack Savage]

Nevertheless, a few years ago this would never have reached even this stage. It is progress of a sort.

[jamesp]

So how do Yeo and Lord Drittsekk get away with it?

And what is the Committee on Standards in Public Life for..?

Seven principles (Word document)

[Morph]

The article suggests there is an investigation due, but at the end seems to suggest its over and he is free and innocent - innocent I tell thee...

However, the Cabinet Office declined to answer any questions about what had prompted Heywood to launch an inquiry, when the inquiry had taken place and who had been interviewed. The Cabinet Office spokesman also refused to say whether Heywood had examined whether it was right and proper for Maes to introduce her clients to a minister while working for his ministry.

Instead, the spokesman said that the inquiry had taken place at some point over the last 10 months since a freedom of information request on their relationship was received by the department. The spokesman said: "Whilst officials were preparing the freedom of information request, the Decc permanent secretary and the Cabinet Office looked at the case."

So it wasn't really an enquiry then - more a kind of informal questionning session.

And they think we should be happy with this ?

[Latimer Alder]

Its a shot across the bows, and will give pause to any others thinking about getting up to the same tricks.

And both Barker and Maes will know that their cards are well and truly marked.

Ironic that The Guardian should make such a story of it. I'd have thought an impotent Climate Change Minister was the last thing that they wanted..........

[Stuck-record]

Cabinet office press release.

After extensive investigation we have decided the Minister wasn't doing anything wrong. So we've asked him stop doing nothing wrong and do nothing wrong in a different way instead.

[Shevva]

I'm scared I tell ya, really scared, I'm having nightmares and palpitations.

A corner desk in the Guardian seems to have been taken over by common sense at this rate I might actually give them web traffic.

(It is a bit of a sarc as I did go there to read a review of one of the booker prize nominees http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/19/umbrella-will-self-review which made me decide to stick with Terry Prachett and Frank Herbert)

[Morph]

Hmm - compare and contrast. The Guardian is still going after Barker.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/12/energy-minister-greg-barker-david-cameron

Yet gave Deben / Gummer a free ride last week

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/09/john-gummer-warning-green-agenda

No wonder they will be gone in 5-6 years, if not before.

[Stuck-record]

Morph,

As much as I'd like to see the death of the anti-semitic Guardian, it's wishful thinking to imagine it'll be gone any time soon.

The Scott trust's primary mission is to keep the Guardian in print. If it takes the output of every penny profit from every Scott trust owned business, they will keep the Guardian in print. Only if the ST itself goes bust will the Guardian die.

[HuhneToTheSlammer]

Jamesp

Lord Drittsekk - I love it !

[Morph]

@Stuck Record - Not sure, eveyone / thing runs out of money eventually.

[Jonathan Drake]

On the back of this scandal, Unlock Democracy is lobbying for more robust new rules and is asking for help to do so:

You may have seen that yet another lobbying scandal has hit the headlines, as climate change minister Greg Barker’s closeness with a lobbyist has come under scrutiny [1].

After the government reshuffle, we also have a new minister in charge of regulating the lobbying industry: Chloe Smith. She is due to publish the government’s proposals on introducing a lobbying register shortly. Will you sign our letter demanding these new rules are robust and comprehensive?

http://action.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/lobbying-letter

The Greg Barker incident highlights the need for a register. Much of the information revealed by the Guardian this week has only come to light after months waiting for government departments to deal with freedom of information requests. A register would ensure basic information is put into the public domain as a matter of course, allowing quick identification of dodgy dealings.

With House of Lords reform now regrettably off the government's agenda, Chloe Smith’s new department is free to focus on delivering the coalition government’s pledge to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists. It is crucial they publish their proposals soon if we are to ensure that legislation can be drafted in time for next year’s Queen’s Speech. Otherwise, there is a real risk that the new laws will be delayed by another year - or possibly even longer.

So please sign our letter to Chloe Smith today and demand she takes action. You can do so by following this link:

http://action.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/lobbying-letter

Many thanks,

Peter Facey
Director, Unlock Democracy

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/11/climate-change-minister-links-adviser

[babu]

StuckRecord wrote:-
"The Scott trust's primary mission is to keep the Guardian in print. If it takes the output of every penny profit from every Scott trust owned business, they will keep the Guardian in print. Only if the ST itself goes bust will the Guardian die."
(1) The Scott Trust was wound up in 2008, and replaced with a not-for-profit company, The Scott Trust Limited (STL), owned by five of its directors, with similar objectives but a very different constitution.
(2) The STL's only assets are its shares in the Guardian Media Group, which in turn owns and carries the losses of Guardian News and Media, which publishes the Guardian (and Observer).
(3) If the GMG goes bust, then the whole thing unravels, and the STL is supposed to pass on the wreckage to an 'appropriate' charitable or similar body.
The continued pretence that the Scott Trust, former owner of the GMG, still exists, does no-one who propagates it any credit.
For details of the present Scott Trust, go to:
https://www.cafonline.org/system/charity-profile.aspx?friendlyUrl=THE-SCOTT-TRUST/CCRegNo278905