
Minister Replaced by Cabbage | Crash Bang Wallace
Immigration Horse Bolted Years Ago | LabourList
UKIPer’s Brussels Diary | Alexandra Swann
Loony Left Weekly Round Up | Dave Vallejo
Lefty Wonks on Thin Ground over Donors | Tim Worstall
Hack Sacked for Younger Model | Camden New Journal
Gove for PM? | Tim Montgomerie
Cameron Must Back Gove | Allister Heath
Complex Tax Code the Real Villain | Fraser Nelson
Ashcroft Dods / PoliticsHome / Dehavilland Bid Referred | OFT
I’m a Tax Dodger | Mark Littlewood
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012
Unbalanced MPs Shun Manufacturing Industry
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Rebalancing the Economy is holding a discussion at Portcullis House in two weeks time. Guest speakers include Jan Hall – headhunter, Julia Hobsbawn – media monitor, Helena Morrissey – an investment manager and the former pollster Nadhim Zahawi MP. A grand total of zero attendees from manufacturing industry. Guido suggests a rebalancing of the APPG…
The Guidogram round-up of the week is going out shortly.
Thousands of Westminster insiders read the Guidogram, everyone from Downing Street insiders to Fleet Street never miss it. This week Guido brought you the news of Leveson losing it, a topless photo scandal in the lobby and a surprise guest at one of Baroness Warsi’s dodgy dinners. It’s been a comedy circus…
Join the conspiracy and become a subscriber to the Guidogram, free, to keep in the loop. You’re either in front of Guido, or behind…
Cameron’s Red Carpet Leads to French Anglo-Saxonism
Cameron’s offer to “roll out the red carpet” for French tax exiles fleeing French socialism provoked screams from French politicians, mostpoignantly expressed above by media mogul Laurent Joffrin, the epic champagne socialist son of the extremely wealthy, castle-owning, yacht sailing and oil company directing Jean-Pierre Mouchard. No surprise that he is telling the readers of the French Observer to “F**k Cameron”, they fear losing enormous amounts of 75% higher rate taxes to be brought in by the newly elected socialist Parliament. Vive la 30% difference!
Loony Lefty Loses It Live On BBC With Toby Young
Part-time media studies teacher turned radical class warrior Francis Gilbert did the Local Schools Network no favours last night when he had a meltdown live on the BBC News Channel.
Guido thinks any head who employs Gilbert should take a look this.
Think of the children…
UPDATE: In you couldn’t make it up territory: Francis Gilbert is married toThe Times literary editor Erica Wagner. They sent their son to private school…
Exclusive: PoliticsHome / DeHavilland Merger Monopoly Fears
+ + + Office of Fair Trading Refers Ashcroft Bid + + +
+ + + Competition Commission to Rule on Legality + + +
OFT Statement:
The OFT today referred the anticipated acquisition of the political intelligence division of DeHavilland by Dods Group PLC (Dods) to the Competition Commission. The evidence before the OFT suggests that, as a result of this merger, Dods will not face sufficient competitive constraints and this could result in higher prices or less quality for UK customers procuring political intelligence services.
Political intelligence companies monitor and track political issues on behalf of customers. A wide range of companies, public and voluntary sector organisations, as well as communications and public affairs consultancies, rely on the provision of regular, accurate and timely political intelligence.
The OFT’s investigation found that the merger parties are the two largest dedicated suppliers of these services and that close competition between them is a very important tool for UK customers to benefit from competitive prices and valued services. The merger parties’ competitors are smaller in size, scale and scope. These findings were informed by the OFT’s market investigation and an extensive customer survey submitted by the merger parties.
As a result, it is the OFT’s view that removing such significant rivalry between the merger parties might substantially lessen competition and lead to higher prices, a decline in the quality of those services or both.
Given its concerns, the OFT therefore considers it appropriate for the Competition Commission to undertake a further investigation into this matter.
The OFT further considered whether the case should not be referred to the Competition Commission on the basis that the markets were of insufficient importance, but did not find that the deal met the relevant criteria for such an exception.
Ali Nikpay, OFT Senior Director and Decision Maker in this case, said:
‘This merger would bring together by far the two largest players in the UK market. The evidence also suggests that DeHavilland and Dods are each other’s closest rivals. Based on the information before us we do not believe that this loss of competition would be compensated through expansion by smaller rivals, entry by new players or customers switching to self-supply. As such, we consider it appropriate to refer the merger to the Competition Commission for further investigation.’
Guido warned about this back in February.Lobbyists who are the main subscribers to the monitoring service have been telling Guido they feared a quasi-monopoly would lead to price gouging. So it seems do the authorities…