Think Tank Lets Sponsor Co-Author Research Report
The link between think-tank research and its “sponsors” has always been opaque. A cynical man would say companies bung a load of cash to shape supposedly independent research, but wonks wil always stress that their final recommendations are free from the influence of their paymasters. Not only did PA Consulting “kindly support” the New Local Government Network’s “Antcipating the Future Citizen Report” but the NLGN even let PA Consulting’s ‘Local Government Lead’, Graeme Walker, co-author the piece. The NLGN deny that any money changed hands for the research and stressed they have contractual commitments to independence. The “kind support” was apparently staffing, but it does look a little odd…
Wonkers!!!
I say chaps! – some ghastly lower class swots are writing a dashed essay about the wind farm scam!!! – all for some pocket money!
Can we give them some moollah NOT to write?
Dashed bad luck that Chris isn’t here to tell the truth about Wind Mills and what terribly super things they are! Watt!
Funny thing is when ever some dippy government cretin pipes up of their independence from vested interest, you know they at best talking loosely and probably anything but!
Very few are truly independent in spirit and anybody who is not about to get the elbow, or be locked up will kill the golden goose.
Funny too how many of these so called independent types go on to employment with those they say they are independent of…
First
Second!
I am thinking about becoming an MP, not sure whether to join the Tories or Labour
It would make fuck all difference.
Unless you change your name, I suggest the Lib Dems.
From where I’m standing, everything looks odd.
Pull your pants up.
Is it safe to come back yet?
I’d give it a few more years old boy.
Are you insane? The Tories are back in.
Are they ? I must have blinked and missed it !
No they are, and are making a complete fuck-up of it. Mind you they are led by a donkey who has never had a proper job.
What? Isn’t Tony the Shapeshifter PM?
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Teen-girls-pestered-sex-Leicester-politician/story-15410365-detail/story.html
I rather thought you would have warmed to him:
‘A former Leicester city councillor who caused a political storm by describing Gordon Brown as “the worst Prime Minister in history”, pestered two schoolgirls for sex and indecently assaulted a young woman.’
Hating Brown is laudable but I can’t stand dirty old Patels noncing after girls.
More Tories about to jump from Camerons sinking ship to UKIP?
Oh yes.
The post Dave era approaches.
“He was the future…once !”
The drip, drip, drip of Tory support leaving Cameron is palpable.
Highest taxes ever, highest fuel prices ever, highest immigration ever, highest payments to the EU & DFID ever – Tories are realising they may as well have stuck with Red Labour.
Vote UKIP.
Haven’t Think Wanks done enough damage, look where we are now ffs?
I was going to come back but then I heard Ted Heath is prime minister again and people are obsessed with something called Twatter. Think I’ll stay in South Africa a bit longer.
I loved War Horse. I just wish the cinema staff hadn’t thrown me out for shouting “weeee!” while using the top of my seat as a rocking horse. It’s not my fault the person sitting behind me didn’t like my occasional gas emissions.
Nice to read that others find the notion of independent research dubious to say the least. Not so much research as shaping policymaking to reflect the interests of research sponsors/funders!
The secret to successful research is to find out what answer the people want.
After that, it’s simple.
It’s also the key to being invited to do more well-paid scams – I mean – research.
I don’t think I ever met anybody who wanted the global temperature change crapola, yet it still appeeeered from out of the blue (as it were).
Independent research died years and years ago. The proper name for it nowadays is the “deliver-to-order-industry”.
Yeah, right! I do believe them but look out for the flying pigs they dump a lot.
Meanwhile those of you who still live in the UK face a wealth tax if St Vince gets his way.
No problem. As you’ve been away for a while it may have escaped your notice that nobody in the country has any wealth these days.
Yes, the wealthy can afford to contribute more.
Judging by the bit I read from the link by a “Fellow” named Andersson, they should have provided someone to do the proofreading; the mistakes are every bit as glaring as some of the howlers we see once in a great while on this blog.
Waste of time these think tanks. A waste of time.
Thats what you think.