John Redwood Aping Jim Sillars! Does Cameron Approve This!

[Jomlett]

Businesses that speak out for Britain's EU membership will be punished, vows John Redwood... http://fw.to/ydirEil Telegraph

[naomi24]

I doubt it!

[Jomlett]

Alistair Burt, the former Foreign Office minister, says John Redwood’s comment is so extreme he thinks Redwood can’t really have said it!

[Obiter]

Oh, I don't know! I'm sure Cameron is secretly pleased for someone else to do his dirty work for him.

[naomi24]

If the Telegraph is reporting it, I can't imagine he didn't say it.

[naomi24]

Obiter, Cameron is not that stupid. Think about the implications.

[jourdain2]

I thought that Redwood was far too intelligent and cautious to say anything like this, so I do wonder if it has been correctly reported. I doubt if Cameron approves.

[mikey4444]

The Tories are really panic-stricken and this is just another example. Thank God we got rid of him Wales all those years ago.

[youngmafbog]

Well like it or not, what he says is true.

If a company uses its clout to utter an opinion (either way) then it risks loosing customers of the opposite opinion.

[youngmafbog]

//The Tories are really panic-stricken and this is just another example//

I thought DC was in favour of staying in the EU ??

[sandyRoe]

The Tories didn't try to gag the businesses that spoke against Scottish independence.

[mikey4444]

Its not clear that Redwood did utter these words at a fringe meeting, although the Telegraph is not normally the first newspaper that springs to mind when it comes to spreading lies.

If these words are indeed his own, then they would seem to be a not very veiled threat to me ::

"If they don't understand that now they will find those of us organising the 'get out' campaign will then make life difficult for them by making sure that their customers, their employees and their shareholders who disagree with them - and there will be a lot who disagree with them - will be expressing their views very forcefully and will be destabilising their corporate governance "

[youngmafbog]

Like I said Mickey

If a company uses its clout to utter an opinion (either way) then it risks loosing customers of the opposite opinion.

And you can expect both sides of the argument to use any means possible to get their point over.

It's hardly rocket science and any half baked director should know this anyway so not much of a 'threat'.

[Gromit]

The Vulcan really is on another planet.

It is Government and Conservative Policy that we are to stay in the EU. He should just jump to UKIP and then we can forget about him.

And how does a has been politician remove an Executive from a top private company?

[Khandro]

The article begins; "John Redwood has vowed to punish businesses who speak out in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union."

But he didn't say any such thing, he said they would be punished, (by future events).

[youngmafbog]

//Chief executives who decide to take a corporate position on the issue could lose their jobs //

Cant see anywhere he is going to sack them Gromit. Have I missed something?

[mikey4444]

YMB...if his words are as I have quoted above from the Telegraph, then he hasn't left much wriggle room has he ?

"those of us organising the 'get out' campaign will then make life difficult for them"

Of course, he may not have said these words. I can find no reference from any other source.

[naomi24]

Mikey, twice today to my knowledge you've claimed the Conservatives are panicking. I couldn't work out where you garnered that notion the first time, and I certainly have no idea why this alleged speech indicates panic from the Conservative party. Perhaps it's just wishful thinking on your part.

Khandro, //But he didn't say any such thing, he said they would be punished, (by future events). //

Do you have an alternative link?

[Farriercm]

Naomi, Tories panicking, twice today, to your knowledge.???????Eh?.??
Do you have an alternative link? what do you think Khandro meant when he quoted,
Punished by future events,???? Do you think Naomi, that Redwood was thinking ahead towards May 2015.

[naomi24]

Farrier, Oh my! Read what I said again - and then try again.

[Obiter]

I see we are reduced to the snidey 'Vulcan' remarks again, for want of better argument. For the elucidation of the hard of thinking Mr Redwood is not a 'has-been' politician, but remains a member of parliament. He is also a Doctor of Philosophy, but unlike the insecure members of the Labour Party who hold a similar qualification he does not flaunt it.