UK: Tim Yeo steps down amid corruption claims

11 June, 2013 by

source: Cartoons by Josh

source: Cartoons by Josh

Conflict of Interest Alert as Tim Yeo, who is alleged to have £1,000,000 (AU$1.65m) in Green interests, and who chairs the UK parliament’s Energy and Climate Select Committee, was caught in a Sunday Times sting, offering to lobby government figures in exchange for payment (allegedly).

The Telegraph reports:

The Conservative MP who scrutinises energy policy has been filmed boasting that he can be paid to introduce businessman to members of the Government.

Tim Yeo, the chairman of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee, also said he had coached John Smith, managing director of GB Railfreight, before the executive gave evidence to the committee last month. Yeo is a paid director and shareholder of Eurotunnel — the firm’s parent company.

Mr Yeo was filmed by undercover reporters working for The Sunday Times saying: “I told him [Mr Smith] in advance what to say. Ha-ha.”

When asked if he would be interested in a £7,000-a-day consultancy contract with a solar company, the MP said: “If you want to meet the right people, I can facilitate all those introductions and I use the knowledge I get from what is quite an active network of connections.”

The reporters queried if this included Government figures. Mr Yeo replied “Yes”.

The House of Commons’ code of conduct forbids MPs from acting as paid advocates, including by lobbying ministers. (source)

For those with their snouts in the trough (allegedly), the green economy is a nice little earner.

See also James Delingpole here, and plenty on Guido here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

CSIRO boss is director of carbon sequestration company

19 October, 2011 by

If there's a climate crisis, carbon may need to be sequestered…

But there isn’t any conflict of interest, they protest, despite the fact that CSIRO provides a never-ending flow of alarmist predictions about climate change which will force Australia (and the world) to consider mitigation measures which might include, er, carbon sequestration:

THE head of the CSIRO is at the centre of conflict of interest claims over her role as a director of a Tasmanian company that purchases land for carbon sequestration.

It was revealed in Senate estimates today that the peak science body’s chief executive Megan Clark is the director of Cradle Mountain Carbon Pty Ltd and is also on the board of Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Cradle Mountain Carbon Pty Ltd is a private family company that sets aside land to store carbon as part of efforts to combat climate change.

Liberal senator David Bushby said at the very least the public perception of Dr Clark’s additional appointments “should raise conflict of interest concerns”.

CSIRO’s acting chief executive Mike Whelan said Dr Clark, who was absent from today’s hearing, was an officer of the highest integrity and the organisation’s board believed there was no conflict of interest issue.

“She is driven on the basis of values and integrity,” Mr Whelan said.

“I don’t see, on the face of it, any issues there and I have no doubt the board has assured itself of the fact there is no conflict of interest.”

Well that’s OK then. Silly of me to even think such a heresy! Move along, nothing to see here. Just like there’s nothing to see at the IPCC, packed to the rafters with environmental activists… But we’re really unbiased – honest! Just trust us! Nothing can go wrong!

And look at Whelan’s immediate reaction – to defend Clark, and dismiss criticism with an arrogant wave of the hand. Instead, perhaps he should think, yes, it doesn’t look good does it? Perhaps Clark should consider whether her directorship of this company really sends the right message, which may compromise the impartiality of the organisation, whether there is any real conflict of interest or not. Ha – fat chance of that.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: ,
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