Labour MP Allows Access For Lobbyist Friend
Back when they used to actually post stories, the Political Scrapbook team employed the services of Matt Zarb-Cousin, a lefty up-and-comer occasionally capable of scoring the odd point. Zarb-Cousin left Scrapbook to work as a researcher for Labour MPs Pamela Nash and Andy Slaughter, but sadly things didn’t quite work out. Now he seems to spend most of his time working as a lobbyist for the anti-bookies Campaign for Fairer Gambling. Why, then, does he still hold a parliamentary pass?
Guido contacted Nash’s office to ask for an explanation, but they had never heard of Zarb-Cousin. “He definitely, definitely doesn’t work in this office”, Guido was told, “he might be a friend of Pamela’s”. No wonder, it turns out Zarb-Cousin hasn’t worked for Nash since 2011, despite the fact that he still holds a parliamentary pass under her name, which he continues to use regularly in his job as an anti-gambling lobbyist. Naughty.
Zarb-Cousin has confirmed to Guido he has used the pass to access Parliament in his capacity at Fairer Gambling, and that he takes a wage from the organisation: “since it is not a commercially-motivated campaign I don’t consider myself a lobbyist, so I didn’t think I’d have to declare it. It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have kept hold of the pass”. Nash isn’t happy, she tells Guido: “I was not aware he was still using his parliamentary pass and have instructed the Pass Office to deactivate the pass immediately”. How many more lobbyists have access based on their interpretation of the rules around influencing MPs?
Shock, horror.
Typical sloppy, incompetent public sector. If the public sector was private and had to compete it would have gone bust a thousand times over.
They do, and they (we) are bust.
Well we know it has happend in Tory circles in the past with Foxy and Werritty who didn’t know each other but one was the other was sure to follow, Geedo was one of those that highlighted the matter, in every probability there will be many more, in all parties, as the control of the HoC seems to to rely on self regulation and mps being jolly good chaps, someone wants to extract their fist from where the sun does not shine and tighten up the regulations.
To my ear Zarb does not sound a very British name. Where’s he from?
It would appear to be Maltese and of Semitic origin.
I really must get out more.
Another double-barrelled champagne socialist, making a good living from admonishing other folks.
Twit.
(Oops. Misspelling!)
Do you know how many of the 650 crackpot members have passes? And how many of them get “sponsorship” from commercial interests which could in no way influence their behaviour?
It would seem that no one knows becuse the record keeping seems so lax
“the record keeping seems so lax”
I was well & truly clobbered by HMRC for that some years ago & they don’t appear to have forgotten it since.
Amazing how it continues to be the case that politicons remain un-affected by the rules, regulations & laws applied to the rest of us.
If the truth is known the poor of Britain are eating horses cocks on a regualr basis
Socialist Corpratism is about the state giving money to the poor, so they can spend it at state sponsored Corporates on horse’s cock meat
And the elite (by which I assume you are one of them) suck each others
That is a sexist remark, excluding horses of the unmale kind, and you will be sent to a suitable camp for re-education.
You silly mare…
I have it on good authority that Michael Morpurgo is writing a follow up to War Horse, called War Burger.
I do apologise.
Funny, I thought the only persons allowed to influence MPs are the voting public they are supposed to represent. I don’t think I’ll bother voting any more, they only see it as a mandate to trough and lord it.
“Funny, I thought the only persons allowed to influence MPs are the voting public they are supposed to represent. ” don’t be silly, constituents are just the means to an end, enabling them to jump on the gravy train, constituents are only useful when it comes to being elected and that is only about 200 seats the rest are jobbies for life one party states.
Influencing MPs ?
I’m normally under the influence.
Most of them are. why else would they have a booze and wine store full of the stuff
Anyone can use my
pass.I’d better do a runner.
Putting him in a lasagna would stop this sort of horsing around.
” I should not have kept hold of it ” Yes Right !! we all believe that.
Just “resting” in your wallet, no doubt.
Today I will be mostly playing Polly Wolly Doodle by Anonymous.
From your villa in the Highgate Hills?
A campaign that has given thousands to the Lib Dems over 18months. A parliamentary pass – surely that would be huge advantage for a pro lobbyist. Access to MPs all day every day. What other resources – scandal in the making me thinks. Could be huge.
What is it with these so-called “liberals” who want to restrict other people’s behaviour — gambling, drinking, smoking? Who the fuck gave them the right to decide what is and what is not in the best overall interest, and even if they knew the answers, who the fuck made them into fucking prefects?
This Zarb thing looks foreign to me. His remarks about Brenda in that tweet are seriously offensive and I suggest 45 years in the nearest dungeon, dangling in chains. After which, let’s fire him into space.
He should try making remarks like that in Thailand or Malaysia. He would get a rapid introduction to the local Big Bubbas – and no remission for good behaviour either.
What was he saying/doing when the lunatic Brown opened up massive gambling temptation to what used to be called ‘the working class’?
Germany contracts 0.6% and France 0.3%. How are the Militwits going to blame that on Osborne and the Tories?
They don’t need to – the BBC will do it on their behalf
Something along the lines of “It’s all the fault of this Prime Minister and his Chancellor”.
Coz they cut the EU budget.
Oscar Pistorious P.D
Shoot first, ask questions later!
I missed her so badly.
He hasn’t got a leg to stand on.
He’s even less use than a one legged man in a bum kicking competition.
Talk about putting your foot in it.
I pulled this same one off in 1955 in New York, killing my husband, the horse breeder William Woodward. And I got the idea after reading about Ty Cobb, the famous American baseball player, of the Cobb County Cobbs, whose mother pulled the same one off on her husband in 1915 in Atlanta. When you’re a Social Register type, and can afford to hire a really good mouthpiece to get you off on self-defense, you can literally get away with murder. And Pissed-Off has the additional bonus that he lives in a crime-ridden country, to boot.
I can well understand why people say that I’m a traitorous tosser. I say I want to put a block on immigration and then I welcome the whole of the subcontinent into the country. It goes to show what brilliant PR operator I am. Toodle pip!
So…at LAST…the truth has come out about THOSE immigration figure oredictions of the number of Bulgarians/Ruomanians that will enter into the UK from 2014….Pickles lied on live television on BBC Sunday Politics Show January 13..there is NO actual study been commissioned and there is no intention to actually commission one out…Ministers and Officails have no idea of the numbers and are too afraid to tell the public !! Meanwhile Officials confrm that the campaign to tell the Bulgarians/Rumanians that the UK is “shit” gains momentum. As Littlejohn is fond of saying…..”You couldn@t make it up!!”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278373/Clueless-Ministers-attempt-estimate-number-Romanian-Bulgarian-immigrants-come-Britain.html#comments
Meanwhile in the EU, they are debating welcoming Turkey to join. Dave supports.
Well, Turkey is better than horsemeat!
Okay, he has a pass. Surely he declared his employment if he earns over £400? Register of interests?
Ali Dizaei awaits appeal decision http://bbc.in/15eya5N
Wonder how much compo the British taxpayers will have to stump up this time ?
P.S. I do hope that the same mug British taxpayers are paying for the legal aid to fund his QC.
I will be resigning soon to spend more time with my pension. I think most people would agree that I have done a splendid job.
Just another banker who having screwed us all now wants to spend some time with his ill gotten pension.
King was in the counting house counting out his money
Plebs were in the sh*t house saying that’s not funny
Just tell us cos we’d like to know what happened to our cash
Ah, now we see it’s all come clear, it’s in your pension stash.
Can’t he get a proper job in Pound Stretcher? No doubt he’ll move from the world of ‘lobbying’ to HOC in good time. Another tosser who thinks that democracy is getting leverage on Ministers that no one knows about.
I will be soon making a major speech on the economy which will have no new policies in it. What is a good word for that kind of speech?
If it’s all part of the no policy policy why not call it WUNASHUN.
An Opposition doesn’t NEED policies..they just need to keep “sticking it” to the government…Miliband’s suggestion that people feel worse off at the end of 5 years of Coalition Government than they did at the end will sway it….after all it worked for Regan in 1980 against Carter
Maybe, but you forget one tiny detail – the internet was in its infancy in those days.
Internet – WTF is t’internet?
It’s a sea faring term – something to do with phishing I believe. Hope that helps.
A Miliprattle?
Hang him, and hang him high
He looks pretty high born to me. A must now-a-days if you want to be a true lefty.
How hard would it be to produce a list of passes and their sponsoring MP and asking them to certfy annually if, under the rules, they should continue to hold a pass?
Is such a list FOIable?
This would be done monthly at stalagluft stratford, aka the Olympic Park. Can’t see how it can’t be done in the house of scroungers
Robin Ashby of the UK Defence Forum (Defence Lobbyists) used to have one… He might still do. Think it was from a Lord, could be worth checking out…
“I wasn’t aware”?
If MPs had ever had management responsibility in private business they would know that employees are relieved of passes, keys, laptops, business cards, mobile phones, business lists etc etc etc when they quit or get fired.
She is telling us MPs don’t do that when they part company with interns?
No, she is telling us that she is a moron.
They could use Gordon’s – he never uses it.
As Sarah will confirm.
Had a fight with an erection this morning.
I beat it single handedly.
*whistles cheerfully*
Anything happening today?
The jury’s still out.
Any news on how long it will take the masons, sorry Grand Master, I mean the Judge to decide what sentence Huhne should receive? Will we be able to have a good laugh today or will he wait for sentencing to reports to confirm that Chris is a bit of a knob?
Find any horse meat in your bacon sarnie?
Mornin mate , nothing much
Oscar Pistorius gave his girlfriend an unusual valentines present
A man cannot be too careful in his choice of weapons…
She was expecting 9 inches but he only had 9 millimeters
No shotgun wedding likely, then.
When she said come on Oscar “Empty your load” It wasn’t what she was expecting
Off to do a bit mate , catch you later
Life in the 3rd Bedroom .That was someone’s daughter
Lamb’s the story to come.
Don’t let the wool be pulled over your eyes.
I bought some 100% oak flooring from B and Q
When i read the packet it said it had lamb in it
My wood had some jamb in it. Does that count?
Anxiously waiting a letter about my half-brother.
http://spotlightonabuse.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/peter-righton-charles-napier-david-cameron-john-whittingdale/
Hacked Off’s John DL still declaring he works for Sense…
So will Ed mention today that Germany, France and Italy economies all contracted in the final three months of 2012?
Not surprising since they can’t sell their Mercs, BMWs, Peugeots and Alfas to skint Brits any more.
Grampian Police have decided that they will take no further action against Helena Torry after holding her in a store room since their prosecution failed.
Renee Slater reunited with election mannequin Helena Torry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-21442142
I bet it needs emptying !
Roses are shit, violets are wank, fuck off fuck off fuck off.
Come on Owen. Let’s kiss and make up.
What did Oscar Pistorious valentine’s day?
20 years.
Not the banging she was expecting
So, a Labour goon Takes over BBC news. Bias? Never
Usual level of professional control then…
Frothing right wing anger!
A little lad with access to M P’s
What can he do, then, climb up on their knees
And whistle short excerpts from The Red Flag?
An M P today’s just an E U slag
Lib, Lab or Con, they just ain’t worth a toss
Parliament’s useless. The E U’s the boss
LOL
+1000000
I thought that they were going to put a stop to lobbying or was that put out to shut us plebs up, while the lies and corruption still carries on and inept politicians still still shuffle at the trough.
Press passes! Just visit Holyrood, no invite required, and have coffee or go to the loo next to MSPs. Enjoy the whisky exibition etc. You might even find yourself talking to an elected msp and sharing a laugh.
The problem with that is that you have to go to fucking Scotland.
Barosso had a little lamb
Rumpy had some beef
But now they moan and shout a lot
The meat’s stuck in their teef.
Findus not in the winners enclosure.
Advice from the RSPCA but none from the NSPCC !!!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/4794297/How-to-make-a-fox-trot-off.html
Zarb-Cousin, double barrelled name = thick socialist on the make for quick get rich scheme.
Fear I have already turned into political robot. Valentines card to wife just said ‘Vote Labour in Eastleigh for a One Nation alternative’.
Miliband’s one nation sounds good but not when you realise the one nation he is talking about is Romania.
How many Trade Union officials have passes?
It is easier to work out which trade unionists don’t have passes.
Ex MP James Purnell is to be employed by the BBC at a salary; wait for it £300,000 plus pension. Taxpayer money wasted again!
Why?
For same reason people climb mountains. Because it is there.
Greed equals MP’s share.
Hiss, Boo
Middle Class worst off since 2003 but, hey, they’re “behind” the strivers all the way to their bank.
The shirkers have done very well since 2003 though.
Get real.
On the continent there are countries with 25% unemployment rates and you are worried that a few middle class people are having to buy their Valentine’s day roses from ASDA and drink Cava instead of Krug
My favourite band is Bullet for my Valentine.
I asked my girlfriend what she fancied doing this evening. She said “I’d love to see Bullet to the Head”. So I obliged. How was I to know she meant the film?
Shoot your load at me, Oscar
Despite what Bruce Willis says, today is a good day to die easy.
Her heart went out to me. And landed on the floor.
What a chaos island Westminster is. NO wonder they want to blast Guido off the radar when he comes up with nice little find-out like this. Keep on digging the rats out!
More Labour sleaze!
Why doesnt he get a proper job?
time to Lobby bookies I think. Are they aware that they are represented by this slimy anti-monarchist Labourite individual
Has not some sort of criminal event taken place here……..??
We have mis-representation,
Illeagal use of a pass, not as issued for,
Failure to give proper disclosure,
Conspiracy,
Indeed, how as the card renewed? one assumes they are valid for a 12month.
That lad will go far. Expect he’ll be PM one day
I’m not sure how he can claim the campaign isn’t commercially motivated. The guy running it is a multi-millionaire casino and poker magnate who in the last DCMS submission proposed…
“Remove licensing requirements for all casino employees except senior executives.
Reduce the tax rate on casinos to parity with other sectors.
Remove geographic and numerical limitations on casinos.
Introduce parity in local authority control over gambling licenses. If “aim to permit” is acceptable for one sector it should be acceptable for all sectors.”
How is this not front page news!
If I have understood this correctly:
Las Vegas Casino Tycoon bankrolls Lib Dems AND campaigns to ‘ban casino content’ on gaming machines in betting shop THEN Lib Dems announce policy which is anti-betting shops AND the spokesman for the campaign has had unlimited access to MPs, researchers and other resources for nearly 5 months!
(Of course these events may not be linked)
Wonder if he booked any Commons rooms or got the Library to do work for the campaign. Is investigative journalism dead (other than Guido)
Shut up, mate.