Difference between revisions of "Owen Paterson"

From Powerbase
Jump to: navigation, search
(Socialising with lobbyists)
Line 36: Line 36:
 
===Socialising with lobbyists===
 
===Socialising with lobbyists===
  
In February 2014 Paterson was spotted socialising with [[Hanover Communications]]'s founder [[Charles Lewington]] and former energy minister [[Charles Hendry]] at the Intercontinental Hotel bar in Park Lane, London. <ref> [http://socialistworker.co.uk/art/37354/Lobbyists+are+unconvincing+over+the+minister+for+fracking Lobbyists are unconvincing over the minister for fracking], ''Socialist Worker'', The Troublemaker, 4 Feb 2014, acc 24 June 2014 </ref>
+
In February 2014 Paterson was spotted socialising with [[Hanover Communications]]'s founder [[Charles Lewington]] and former energy minister [[Charles Hendry]] at the Intercontinental Hotel bar in Park Lane, London. <ref> [http://socialistworker.co.uk/art/37354/Lobbyists+are+unconvincing+over+the+minister+for+fracking Lobbyists are unconvincing over the minister for fracking], ''Socialist Worker'', The Troublemaker, 4 Feb 2014, acc 24 June 2014 </ref> Hanover's clients include, among others, controversial fracking firm [[Cuadrilla Resources]].
  
 
==Affiliations==
 
==Affiliations==

Revision as of 01:58, 24 August 2016

Owen Paterson

Owen Paterson is the UK Conservative Party MP for North Shropshire and a former cabinet minister. In the 2015 general election Paterson was re-elected with a majority of 15,828. [1]

Paterson is the founder of the right wing think tank UK 2020, which he set up after being sacked as environment secretary in the Cabinet reshuffle of July 2014.

Revolving door

After losing his job as secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs in July 2014, Paterson was appointed part-time, paid consultant to Randox Laboratories Ltd. Although he had dealt with the company during his time in office, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments sanctioned the role given that Paterson said that it would not include governmental engagement.[2]

Northern Ireland Secretary

He was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the incoming coalition cabinet appointed in 2010.[3]

Environment secretary

He was appointed secretary of state for the environment in September 2012.[4]

Paterson's appointment, according to the Guardian, 'marks a sharp lurch away from the green-minded policies which sheltered in the environment department and a significant weakening of the green voice at the Cabinet table'. In May 2012 for example, Paterson had 'reportedly told the Cabinet that it should end all energy subsidies, such as those for wind and solar power, and fast-track shale gas exploitation'. [5]

He left the Government in July 2014, replaced by Elizabeth Truss[6]

Lobbying against the EU insecticides ban

In April 2013 The Observer revealed that in a letter released under freedom of information rules, Paterson had told the chemicals company Syngenta that he was 'extremely disappointed' by the European Commission's proposed ban on neonicotinoids. Paterson assured Syngenta that 'the UK has been very active' in opposing the ban and 'our efforts will continue and intensify in the coming days'.[7]

According to documents seen by the Observer Syngenta had even threatened to sue individual European Union officials involved in publishing an European Food Safety Authority report that found the pesticides posed an unacceptable risk to bees. [8]

Britain's and Paterson's lobbying was unsuccessful; the Commission passed the landmark ban on 29 April 2013 to widespread public approval.

Staff

Special adviser

Paterson's special adviser while he was environment secretary, Guy Robinson had previously worked at lobbyist Lynton Crosby's UK firm Crosby Textor Fullbrook. Robinson kept his Spad role when Liz Truss took over from Robinson from 2014-15 and again when new minister Andrea Leadsom was appointed in Theresa May's new cabinet after July 2016.

Socialising with lobbyists

In February 2014 Paterson was spotted socialising with Hanover Communications's founder Charles Lewington and former energy minister Charles Hendry at the Intercontinental Hotel bar in Park Lane, London. [10] Hanover's clients include, among others, controversial fracking firm Cuadrilla Resources.

Affiliations

Resources

See: Fracking lobbying firms

See: Fracking Spads

Notes

  1. Owen Paterson Express, accessed 18 May 2015
  2. Summary of Business Appointments Applications- Rt Hon Owen PatersonGov.UK, 11 August 2015, accessed 22 September 2015
  3. Her Majesty’s Government, Number10.gov.uk, accessed 12 May 2010.
  4. Juliette Jowit, Shiv Malik and Haroon Siddique, Cabinet reshuffle: who has moved so far?, guardian.co.uk, 4 September 2012.
  5. Damian Carrington, New environment secretary Owen Paterson will worry greens, 4 September 2012 13.43 BST theguardian.com
  6. Reshuffle at-a-glance: In, out and moved about, BBC News, 15 July 2014.
  7. guardian.co.uk, Environment secretary's letter to Syngenta on insecticide ban proposals, (obtained under FOI Act) published Monday 29 April 2013 10.41 BST
  8. Damian Carrington, Insecticide firms in secret bid to stop ban that could save bees, the Observer, 29 April 2013
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Register of interests of members' secretaries and research assistants, 23 March 2016, parliament.uk, accessed 22 April 2016
  10. Lobbyists are unconvincing over the minister for fracking, Socialist Worker, The Troublemaker, 4 Feb 2014, acc 24 June 2014
  11. Sam Coates & Francis Elliot, The Times, July 17, 2008 ['Tory MPs' use of staff budgets to pay for PR advice 'against rules]