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Labour Government In Hoc With Big International Business Finance

Compromises policy: Health & Safety legislation - funding - Worker's Rights - NHS Policy

The reported meeting between senior Labour Party figures and representatives from Bloomberg, following a significant donation from the media and financial conglomerate, has raised concerns among transparency advocates. This private roundtable event in Edinburgh, held on December 8 last year, was attended by Labour leader Keir Starmer, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, and other top party officials. The gathering occurred soon after Bloomberg Trading Facility Limited, a subsidiary of Bloomberg, made a £150,000 donation to Labour – their first in seven years.

Transparency campaigners and two Labour sources have labelled the timing and nature of the meeting as "suspicious" and "highly unusual," suggesting potential "cash for access" implications. At the event, Labour reportedly provided Bloomberg and other attendees with an exclusive preview of its forthcoming flagship financial services policy document, which was publicly released the following month.

Such interactions between political parties and major donors are often scrutinized to ensure that financial contributions do not unduly influence policy decisions or provide unfair access to political leaders. The concerns here highlight the need for stringent transparency and accountability measures in political funding and lobbying activities.

OpenDemocracy reported on this questionable event in April 20, highlighting the continued practice of both Tory and Labour political parties being lobbied
by big business and being paid for their time by 'party contributions' from such business interests and raises the concerns over 'cash for questions', 'bribes' aka 'party donations'; and in the case of the Labour Party, access to policy documents and even being part of the policy making team within Labour!

The meeting in Edinburgh between Labour leaders and Bloomberg representatives is drawing significant scrutiny due to its unique characteristics and timing. Unlike typical interactions involving lobbyists and political parties, this particular event was attended by an unusually high number of senior Labour politicians, which has raised eyebrows among transparency campaigners and Labour insiders.

Labour leader Keir Starmer, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, shadow City minister Tulip Siddiq, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and business spokesperson Daniel Johnson MSP were all present at the meeting. The attendance of so many top figures contrasts sharply with other comparable meetings, which generally include only one or two shadow ministers.

This high-profile gathering came just under two weeks after Bloomberg Trading Facility Limited, a subsidiary of Bloomberg LP, made a £150,000 donation to Labour, marking its first contribution to the party in seven years. This significant donation positioned Bloomberg as one of Labour’s top corporate donors for 2023. The Electoral Commission records indicate that prior to this, Bloomberg’s last donation to Labour was £60,000 in 2016, while in the interim, Bloomberg contributed £260,000 to the Conservative Party, including a £100,000 donation in June 2022.

The convergence of senior Labour figures at this event, along with the timing of the donation, has led some to suggest possible "cash for access" implications. Transparency campaigners argue that such meetings, especially when coinciding with large donations, necessitate rigorous scrutiny to ensure that financial contributions do not translate into undue influence over policy decisions. These concerns emphasize the ongoing need for transparency and accountability in political funding and lobbying activities.

You can read the full openDemocracy investigation into Labour's secret meetings with business by clicking on the image above.

Source: openDemocracy

See also: OUR NHS AS A NATIONAL SERVICE HAS BEEN ABOLISHED!

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