Ed’s PPS and MoD Lobbying Links
Dugher Denies Defence Meetings Dodgy
Barnsley MP Michael Dugher was chosen to be Ed’s PPS for a reason. It quickly became clear Chuka Umunna was way out of his depth in the role, so who better to replace him than a man who knows the party inside out and has worked in Downing Street, the MoD and various other government departments? However it’s not just Ed who has spotted Dugher’s talents in the past…
Though he ended up as Gordon’s Moussa Ibrahim at the end of the last government, between his days as Geoff Hoon’s Special Adviser at the MoD (2002-’05) and becoming Gordon’s last spinner in October 2008, Dugher took time out in the private sector, becoming Head of UK Public Affairs for global data giants EDS. He left the MoD just before the 2005 election and went to EDS in 2006, via a role in the Leaders of the House’s office overseeing Privy Council matters.
When Dugher took the role of EDS’s top UK lobbyist, the company said he bought a ‘wealth of experience from his under-standing of the parliamentary process’. However that’s not all he had to offer. A rather interesting FoI shows that EDS’s public affairs team, headed up by Dugher, lobbied MoD officials and Ministers some thirty-three times between 2006 and 2007. Crucially Dugher was meeting with Lord Drayson, who was in charge of procurement of equipment and support.
The relationship built up between the MoD and EDS paid off handsomely for the latter. In government Labour paid EDS a total of £4.2 billion for IT during their years in government. Including £2.3 billion for the troubled Defence Information Infrastructure contract which was signed when Dugher was still Hoon’s SpAd. The MoD paid EDS a further £570 million during the period Dugher worked for them. All very cosy.
Surely there are rules against this sort of thing, Guido hears you ask. Well yes there are:
‘Under the terms of their contract, special advisers are required to submit an application to the head of their former Department for any new appointment or employment they wish to take up during the two year period after their last day of paid service.”
Guido spoke to Dugher last night who claimed that the move was cleared by the Cabinet Office. However this clearance was only in relation to his last role working for the Leader of the House/Privy Council. Dugher says that the both the Cabinet Office and EDS were well aware of the move and possible conflicts of interest. However, the MoD tell Guido:
“We do not hold any data to confirm that Mr Michael Dugher has submitted an application to the MoD under “The Business Appointment Rules for Civil Servants” for permission to seek an appointment with EDS as a lobbyist. The requirement for Michael Dugher to notify the department of his intention to commence employment with EDS under Business Appointment Rules only applies for two years after his last day in service and therefore this requirement ceased from 2007’
Though he cleared it with the Cabinet Office, Dugher was back lobbying the MoD within two years of leaving as a SpAd, which doesn’t look so good. This is often the way with the giant revolving door of government and Guido only raises this all for one particular reason. Dugher is currently in charge of Labour’s own long-overdue defence procurement review. We all know how badly Labour’s spending on MoD contracts went. Dugher certainly has some inside knowledge of what went wrong…
what a bunch of Publiuc sector parasites.
Hopefully, he will do for Labour what he did for the MoD, ie. waste an inordinate amount of money achieving nothing.
On me EDS, son.
That Drayson is a proper fucking c u n t. Fucking one-eyed fucking conman ought to be in fucking prison considering the complete clusterfuck that is the MoD and the number of deaths and maimings happening to those poor bastards who’ve been sent to Shitstainfuckingpaedoistan.
Meanwhile, beeboid hypocrits have labour talking heads on every news bulletin today, complaining about defense cuts.
>Shitstainfuckingpaedoistan
Surely you meant Shitand? Agree either way though!
Its Great I just wish I could get on the Gravy Train. My Parents made a right Fu–up when they sent me to the Local Comp. My Kids are going to go to Harrow then Eaton, Then at least when they are NO Fu–in use they will get a job in any one of the thousands of Qunago’s set up by SUCCESSIVE government to Keep Family, Friends, and School Chums, In the Quagmire of Tax Payers CASH. Cream on Fat Cats Whiskers., A
The No. 10 class of 2009 have all done rather well except one
Where are they now?
Michael Dugher – Labour MP for Barnsley East
John Woodcock – Labour and Co-operative Party MP for Barrow and Furness
Michael Ellam – MD of the Treasury International and Finance Directorate and Chairman of the EU Financial Services Regulation Committee
Simon Lewis – CEO of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe
Iain Bundred – Global Director of Strategic Media Relations for Ogilvy PR
Balshan Izzet –Ed Balls staffer
None of this is in any, way, shape or form corrupt. The BBC do not consider that a political/industrial revolving door between labour government staffers and military precurement and lobbyists is in any way wrong. Indeed it is a fine example of labour ‘investment’
Therefore this is a non-story which will not be covered by the BBC.
However, if a tory were to think about doing the same, there would be worthy headlines about tory sleaze for days.
EDS – HP
“Hello. This is the British Ministry of Defence. We’d like to buy some helicopters please.”
“Certainly. We do them in large, medium or small. This month we have a special offer if you buy ten or more. They’re available immediately.”
“Can they fly upside-down?”
“Excuse me?”
“The AJC to the PDQ has prioritised a requirement for operational polarity-reversed aviation capability, at least I think that’s what it says.”
“Well…of course, we can convert them. It’ll cost only another $gazillion and we can have them ready by 2015″
“And then they have to be capable of running on porage. Cuts CO2 emissions, you see.”
“Well…I’ll have to ask the technical boys. Can I get back to you?”
“Yes…any time next year will be fine.”
“Fancy a month’s stay in a six-star hotel somewhere sunny?”
“Sounds good to me”.
I was with you up to ‘porage’. It got a bit technical then.
There should be a far larger proportion of MOD staff being sacked or made redundant to military personnel. What business could afford to have a larger number of back room staff than front line staff delivering the service- local authority excluded, not a business and Pickles does not have the balls to sort them out.
CO2 is like H2O. It should be free to the Public but on behalf of the Taxpayer the MOD pay loads of cash for it.
Holidays are paid for by the Public with loads of cash during the school holidays, but are free for the MOD all the year around.
Hope this helps.
@ Mr H@rry c0le
dunno if this is any good to ya?
StevenNott #PhoneHacking – In 1999 @piersmorgan DailyMirror & TheSun could have warned the public about #hackgate but chose not to http://t.co/K7oZuwc 12 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
More Labour corruption and waste.
I bet Ed Miliband’s eyeing a seat on the board of EDS as soon as his reign as Labour leader fails.
After conference then.
Bring it on !!!
Indeed – Balls is even more unelectable than Miliband. Although I’d sooner see him get the leadership after the next election in order to guarantee Labour being out of power for at least two terms.
Just two words: “Jane Pilgrim”.
Think on.
You’re missing the point about why none of this is wrong, and why the media won’t give a fig.
Repeat after me: “They’re not Conservatives”.
Yes, it does indeed seem to be the case that corruption is not at all sleazy, unless it is tories doing it. When labour does it (and they do fuck all else) it is called ‘investment’.
I will make statement about this to Dr House just after i have my afternoon nap.
Don’t fall asleep now. You’ll miss animal park.
Bigot!
Snotgobbling tramp!
Another one at the trough of the public purse.
Surprised? Nope.
Lib/Lab/Con = c’unts
Indeed
You’ll get no arguments us.
The LabLibCon is like a choice of either eating, shit, vomit or rotted flesh. A pox on all their ( identical ) houses.
Come on!
Osborne alone did the Maths.
(It is now an unknown subject in University today.)
Labour do not even understand the question, and it has been over a year in discussion.
Reading this blog for about a year I’ve never felt inclined to comment before, but this is the sort of Guido reportage I like!
its not guido writing it tho
Well durrrrrrr!
He was executed 405 years ago
Well bowled
Unless he is a vampire?
Looks like Dugher wasn’t the only one…
Many lobbyists win seats but some see majority decreased
http://www.prweek.com/channel/PublicAffairs/article/1002450/many-lobbyists-win-seats-majority-decreased
Guido – are you incapable of knowing the difference between ‘bought’ and ‘brought’ ? They are 2 different words with different meanings. Your sloppiness diminishes your credibility.
Its part of the “Order-Order experience”, apart from caption contests and cartoons readers can also get involved in sub editing the posts
Its a lousy job, but the pay is terrible. So it all evens out.
Fuck off!
Indeed. I wanted to go to oder-oder.com but wound up here.
I blame Mrs. Thatch!
Dugher is currently in charge of Labour’s own long-overdue defence procurement review
I could save Labour and Dugher the expense.
Labour’s defence procurement review will conculde that everything was run absolutely perfectly from Mid 1997 – Mid 2010 at which point it went totally to shit.
Wast e of time. I hope we’re not paying the c*unt for this ‘review’.
He’ll conclude that its necessary to order another 5 aircraft carriers for that landlocked, mountain and desert war in Afghanistan.
All to be constructed at vast expense in Labour constituencies.
Of course, because that will facilitate the need for extra in-flight refuelling too. So we can spend even more money building more planes in labour constituencies too.
Star Wars: The Complete Saga (With Online Exclusive Pre-Order Film Cell) (9 Discs) (Blu-ray)
12 September release.
I’m so excited I’m going to hand release myself right now!
He is not the labour droid we’re looking for.
Move along.
Labour front bench looks like the scene from the alien bar in the first star wars film, (now episode 4). Ed Miliband would fit right in in that bar.
Another fuck know’s who,who does fuck know’s what for fuck know’s how much.
Safe to say it will be at least ten times what I ever earned actually making real stuff(dentures) as a dental mechanic.
And there are substantialy less of us technicians than there are of these fucking limpets.
Market forces should dictate that C*nt be on less money than me but it doesn’t.
So skewed is it by tax funded subsidy.
There is a lot of tooth in what you say
A spokesperson for the B-bbc said we shall not be bothering with this, but news has just come in that Andy Coulson once spelt his name differently on a piece of paper somewhere.
In the light of this His Eminence Edward Milliband Jnr, has called for Cameron’s resignation.
Meester speekeer, meester speeker..we don’ nee no steenkin’ Tories..
No, its not working. I’ll go back to the old voice.
Mithter speaker, Camerwon mutht wesign imwediatley. He went on holiday and there wath a cwisis. He weally mutht wesign!
How’s that?
Better?
This has nothing to do with Murdoch and is not newsworthy.
You are not the real Robert Peston moniker thief, try
MOOOrdoch! as Denied, you’know, my sauces tell me, Weee, arrr, arrr, innitt.
Thanks for that Robert and now back to the BBC studio for the weather report.
EDL’s Tommy Robinson challenges David Cameron to a live debate.
http://tinyurl.com/3bf6chj
Having a debate with these c*nts in charge is like arguing with a bloke who is fucking your missus,while he his actually still fucking your missus.
After the vinegar strokes he will then tell you he has cum and you have to accept the way things are.
A messy stinky hole which needs catering for.
I hadn’t thought of it quite like that.
But now you mention it…..
As loong as you get to watch its OK
They are all a lot more bent than me.
Hiya darlings did someone mention the word bent, hope your not referring to me you naughty boys
Bent as a bottle of crisps!
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/michael_dugher/barnsley_east
Register of Members interests – seems to get given a lot for a guy who’s only been an MP for a short while. Must know a few people!
£900 for two Eurostar return tickets seems a bit steep – you can get tickets for less than £200 but obviously wouldn’t want to slum it in cattle class!
More like pringles
Once he’s popped he cant stop(stealing)
Can we waterboard him?
Watersports from a great height
Why do we have a MOD?
RAF should choose their own aircraft
Army choose own weapons (Ill have an HK rifle and Glock please Bob)
Not some sacks of shit that some fucking chair polishing wanker has chosen, oh and It would be nice if the ammo went bang when needed oooo and body armour that is more robust than two steel plates the size of tea cups surrounded by cotton wool
The Hunts spent £1000 each on office chairs
Sack every one of them then drop them in Afghanistan naked apart from a copy of the talmud and a tatoo saying “I hate Islam”
Considering we have the fourth largest military budget in the world, we are either doing too much or we are very inefficient – I suspect both.
My forces friends tell me the cuts should be in the MOD, not the front line, but Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas
Her comes Polly in all her glory
I bet her tits could tell story
Oh no i take that back
someone just leaked a picture of her crack.
guido and polly in a twitter fight right now.
“You were privately educated, Oxford, sent your children to private schools worked BBC/Guardian. What class does that make you? @pollytoynbee”
“For someone who moans about a housing shortage why do you have 3 homes@pollytoynbee?”
I know, hopefully Guido/Neo Guido might publish to and fro in a new post later
Twat.
Ladies and gentlemen
Some say that he is a loathian twat others that he would fuck his own mother for £5(or gratis)
He is in fact the new Hoon
Here he is
The Dugher
Dugher is just the person for the job. What a reflection on the utterly useless Ed Dowler Miliband.
If you don’t stop writing nasty stuff about our party Yvette and I will come round and trash your office.
We have form in this department.
I’m getting dizzy again, PPS, Spads, PFI and EEC directive light bulbs (which are shit and highly toxic and don’t work with a dimmer switch).
In other words, he has complied fully with the rules.
These scoops keep coming.
What, you mean like all those MPs who flipped their homes several times in a year were “acting within the rules” when they avoided capital gains tax and furnished multiple homes at the expense of the taxpayer?
Keep ‘em coming Jimmy, you’re the gift that keeps on giving.
No, I mean in the sense of not by any stretch of the imagination doing anything remotely wrong. What exactly is it being suggested he should have done? He didn’t need the MoD’s permission and if he’d asked for it that’s what he would have been told. Even by the normal barrel scraping standards here it’s thin gruel. What would be a story is if (to take a purely hypothetical example), a Spad had joined an astroturf “charity” and benn given a half million quid “dowry” from public funds. Guido would be all over that wouldn’t he?
polly thinks you are very nasty Guido. i hope you feel ashamed……
They deserve each other. Utter pretentious c’unts.
You go get her Guido she is a fuckin hypocrite and needs to be exposed.
I bet you like exposing yourself.
He loves to get his wicket out
This is how democracy works folks we get to vote for these crooks every 5 years then we are ignored while they listen to paid lobbyists
Kevin_Maguire Wikileaks suing Guardian over a leak is funniest thing since Kerry Katona demanded privacy http://t.co/kWoC6aY 8 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
Opps!
The yanks will fuck you over this one Guardian, smug gits.
I would suggest that the Guardian may need bailing out soon or sink…..
EDS were hated by the military, mocked as ‘Eventually Deliver Something’. DII was an abysmal experience that I thankfully missed during my time in uniform…the Joint Personnel Administration system is utterly useless, foisted upon the Armed Forces, it stopped people getting paid correctly (or at all), made it difficult to log on to book leave because of lack of server space, was described as ‘not fit for purpose’ and ‘a breach of the military covenant’ and led to a RAF officer successfully suing the Ministry of Defence for nonpayment of wages.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1577431/RAF-officer-sues-MoD-over-pay-fault-and-wins.html
Having said that, I worked with a small team in EDS who were very good indeed … perhaps unusual!
i am now using a commercial vaccuum packaging machine to preserve all my toilet evidence, i don’t want my ploppy getting into the wrong hands.
I have given up caring about this sort of thing. Little will change whatever I do.
On the whole I prefer Margeaux. Now I care about that…
Labour Hunts are above the law, we all know that.
Thieving bastards
twat
the revolving door has been assisting the political elites for centuries
all of this in the best possible taste
the whole system needs changing
it might be small beer but while we wait for hari to surface and receive his career ending humiliation watch mathew wrights show on chn 5 ,if you’ve overindulged on the booze , watch this lefty fudd it’l save you sticking your fingers down your throat
Is there anyone in or connected to Labour who is not crooked, a liar, a thicko, a sponging opportunist or a complete waste of space? Come out and declare yourself.
No wonder EDS no longer exist since they were taken over by HP and rebranded as such. Mainly because of their terrible reputation for being involved with such high profile public sector failures.
Dugher is my MP. Sounds like he’s been a busy boy down in Westminster, which is probably why he’s not had the time to appear in Barnsley since he got elected, except when there’s a photocall of course. Then it’s back in first class to London, speedy like. Wonder where he lives.
Do me a favour…..sounds very brown envelopish to me.