After supporting Bankers and destroying the NHS: Lord Bichard’s next target is the elderly

Lord Bichard seems to embody the Coalition Government: corrupted by corporate interests, privatising public services and redistributing wealth to the elites – at everyone else’s expense.

His attack on pensioner’s rights today signals another trend, shifting focus away from the people that have really created the financial crisis, onto the vulnerable in society.  Today, this Lord suggested pensioners will have to do voluntary work or face reductions to their pensions. This member of the corporate and political elite is paid by multinational corporations and banks. I do not expect he understands that this will not be a “voluntary” choice for many, whilst for others who might be ill, it may not even be an option. He is callously proposing to cut the £107.45 per week entitlement, which they have been promised throughout their working life, unless they work. In keeping with Cameron’s increasingly unequal Britain, he works to assist those responsible for creating the financial crisis in the first place and share the burden on everybody else.

One of the Lord’s paid positions, beyond his title of knight in the Order of the Bath, is advisor for Cronin Management Consultants, who are paid to advise the Cabinet Office. Another one of his five paid consultancy jobs is for Ten Group. They provide a range of services, including corporate concierge. Their website explains how this includes ”Ten [Group] has access to inspirational meeting spaces all over the world, networking opportunities and other sources of business connections which benefit our members.”

I think that this “other sources of business connections” is corporate code for ‘We employ politicians, including a Lords that have influence on the Cabinet Office and can use their position… to benefit our members.’ Lord Bichard’s employers, Ten Group, have a list of clients who can be accused of many destructive corporate and financial malpractices.[i] In turn, the Government has allowed these actions to continue: without hindrance. Ten Group boast how they work for:

Lloyds TSB. They invested in toxic loans, which led to their Government bailout. They are also accused of funding illegal cluster bombs and creating tax havens.[ii]

RBS, They lobbied the British Government, even though it was bailed out with taxpayer’s money in 2008 and paid bonuses nearly amounting to one billion this year, causing them to have £2 billion in losses. [iii]

Barclays, They are accused of being complicit in funding atrocities in Darfur, by providing banking services for Amec, the oil companies that created revenue for the Sudanese Government. It also provides banking services for Freeport McMoran. This mining corporation are destroying the rainforest in Papua, which threatens the very existence of the Amungme and Kamoro peoples.[iv]

Lord Birchman’s employee, Cronin Management Consultants, is also pushing the Government’s policy of privatisation and diverting public money into private hands. They are paid to advise chief fire officers, a policy that is heavily criticised for the wasting money. This was especially true of the scheme Fire Control, which had a great deal of input from management consultants. It failed and crashed, wasting £552 million.[v] Another company that used to employ the Lord is Tribal Group Plc in 2008. They are one of the key private companies benefiting from the selling off and privatisation of the NHS.[vi]

Somehow, the Lord also has the time for three other paid advisory roles; these are for the Design Council, Socale Foundation Imprint and as non-executive director of Parker Capital Limited, a paid role for a firm that deals with commercial lettings and is involved in financial investments. Luckily for Lord Bichard, this non-executive role means he does not have to be involved with the day to day running of the business. Unfortunately for everyone else this gives him more time to push forward with his other destructive endeavours.

Posted by Steve Rushton on Oct 24 2012. Filed under Bloggers, Breaking News, Critical thinking, Government Watchdog, Latest News, Latest stories, Steve Rushton. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry