Is Our Loss is Eurotunnels Gain ?

[olddutch]

The Times today reports that Patricia Hewitt rounded off a bumper payday when she put the lobby gate scandal behind her to become a director of Eurotunnel. The new directorship took the former Health Secretary’s annual pay to at least £188,000 — €45,000 from Eurotunnel and £150,000 for her work as BT’s senior independent director

Hewitt was one of the MPs named in the 2010 sting operation into political lobbying by the Channel 4 Dispatches programme, in which she appeared to claim that she was paid £3,000 a day to help a to help a client obtain a key seat on a Government advisory group. On 22 March 2010, Hewitt, along with Geoff Hoon and Stephen Byers were suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party over the allegations.

Ms Hewitt, 62, besides being a director of BT and also has highly-paid positions with, Barclays and an equity firm, Cinven. The parliamentary register of members' interests shows she has declared an income of £23,000 for 75 hours' work with Boots and £17,250 for 30 hours with Cinven. It is unclear how much she is being paid by Barclays. Ms Hewitt who has just left Parliament is also eligible for a resettlement grant from the tax payer amounting to £54,000.


Is Ms Hewitt representative of what our MPs go into Politics for ?

[lslowry]

'fraid so Dutch, all the newbies will be coached after a while in to what they can claim for. They have already questioned their having to pay up front first.

[jno]

No; most don't go on to make anything like that. That's why she's got into the news and dozens of other MPs who've left parliament have not. I haven't the faintest idea whether she's worth what Eurotunnel and the rest are paying her (it's not as if she's got special access to the new government or anything), but presumably they think so. That's private enterprise for you.

[rov1200]

Seems par for the course. Some papers are suggesting Gordon Brown is in line to become a director of the IMF for a salary of about £250,000. I'd bet they go broke within about 5 years.

[olddutch]

Ask any MP or prospective MP why they want to stand for Parliament - and the default reply is that they want to be of service to their constituents and make the Country a better place.

Shame the public service rhetoric doesnt match the reality of the self serving antics that follow in so many cases. Perhaps the new intake and the new Parliament will improve things but I wouldnt bet too much on it.

[youngmafbog]

I dont really see the problem. What do you expect her to do, go on the dole or start down the local foundry perhaps ?

Is the disgust envy driven ?

No not all will get the opportunity, many MP's are a waste of space. If you manage to get high profile like Hewitt then you must have spent a good deal of your life getting there. Regardless of their political leanings I dont have an issue with it.

Good luck to her.

[olddutch]

youngmafbog

Ms Hewitt was a politician who was were suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party over the allegations of impropriety under a Labour standing order against bringing the party into disrepute. Labour officials believed the impression conveyed that the former minister was trying to profit from her knowledge as a former public servant would anger voters already alienated by the expenses scandal. The suspension was also fuelled by a backbench revulsion at claims that the former minister had been using her ministerial experience to seek profitable lobbying consultancies.

To have the former ministers like Hewitt using their former privileged Parliamentary status and connections to gain unfair advantage for their own personal financial gain is to the potential detriment of Parliamentary democracy and an affront to electors. When people put themselves forward as Parliamentary candidates and are elected, it should be their legal and moral duty to surrender any other occupations and work entirely for the British public during their parliamentary tenure and after leaving Parliament they should be proscribed from taking up any posts that could be seen as having a lobbying dimension for the duration of the next parliamentary term.

youngmafbog - “ dont really see the problem. What do you expect her to do, go on the dole or start down the local foundry perhaps ?” - yes, a spell on the dole or in a proper job might be an education for her

“Is the disgust envy driven ?” No - driven by a dislike of greedy, morally bereft politicians

[olddutch]

From Evening Standard Blog

Today, while the world watched a wider row about a huge bonus paid to its chief exec, BT announced that the former Cabinet minister is getting a nice promotion. Ms Hewitt earned £75,000 last year as a non-exec director for the firm. She's now going to double her money to £150,000 after being appointed as "senior independent director".

What a surpise. Hewitt now chairs the board remuneration committe and doles out £2m bonus to the CEO. Prior to that she was just trying to do a Fergie and sell access to the government. Even Fergie still has access to ex hubby. all Hewitt has is contacts to yesterdays has beens
Posted by: Mad | 26/05/2010 at 05:32 PM

I would like to know what Ms Hewitt does for the money, the strength of her performance and why she can get a 100% pay rise when BT staff are struggling to get 5%. Surely with lead taken by this new government increases should be frozen, especailly for the higher paid
Posted by: Strongbow Sullivan | 26/05/2010 at 05:47 PM

[BertiWooster]

When all is said and done , it is up to the board and shareholders of a company to decide who they have on their payroll

[olddutch]

True Bertie true

and up to the board and shareholders of a company to wisely decide how many Millions of £s to pay Bankers and Executives in bonuses in these austere times as we approach Economic Armageddon

[rov1200]

Its no coincidence that Hewitt was one of those caught up in that televised scam recently where they were caught trying to get influential jobs based on their past experience in Government. You would think private companies would steer well clear of past members of the Labour government knowing they had brought this country to it knees?