Stuart Fraser & The City of London’s Antipathy To Democracy

Perhaps nothing better sums up Stuart Fraser as a demagogue who has no time for democracy than the following quote: “I would be most content if I leave the City in a better state than I came to it. Yes, it’s a general statement, but I would still like the City of London to dominate the world.” From “Stuart Fraser keeps a cool head in the eye of the storm” by Yvette Essen, Daily Telegraph, 2 June 2008. Needless to say it’s dictators who seek to dominate the world, not democrats. And not quite a ‘newsflash’ for Stuart Fraser: after the crash and political fall out from that, you’ve left the City of London weaker than when you headed this reprehensible anti-democratic institution. From here on in it looks like things can only get worse for this rotten borough.

James Thomson, Public Perceptions of Probity & Jobs for the City Boys

Is there a conflict of interest in having a member of Keepmoat’s board of directors as a Common Councillor? The City of London says: “I can confirm that the Member to which you refer has had no input, bearing or influence on this tender evaluation whatsoever.” It isn’t good enough for the City of London to baldly state council member James Thomson had no influence on the tender evaluation, an independent inquiry into whether Thomson’s status as a friend and colleague of at least some of those who made the decision would be much more appropriate.

No Matter What Taylor Wimpey Call ‘The Denizen’, It’s Still The Turd!

Taylor Wimpey’s PR lackeys at Cascade Communications sent out an email yesterday suggesting their paymaster was suffering from second thoughts about the name of their proposed Golden Lane development being The Denizen. Local people don’t want 99 luxury flats replacing 110 social housing units on the site, but rather than listening to us, the ‘community specialists’ hired by the developer are offering a vote on an absurd list of names for the building.

City of London ‘Neither Powerful Nor Principled’ According To The Financial Times

Excitement over Russian flotations peaked a decade ago. When Russian owners realised they could gain higher valuations by listing assets globally, it provided a rush of business. Sixty-seven of the Russian IPOs from 2005 to 2014 came to the London market, leaving New York behind. The City will gain comfort that Russian revenues had already tailed off — the US pounced after most of the fees had been paid. But Washington, not London, has decided how it must handle Russian financing. The Deripaska affair leaves the UK’s financial capital looking neither powerful nor principled.

Grubstreet Author: Corporate Hospitality & Poverty Chic

The history of Grub Street is far more complex than the cartoon version deployed by those using despicable poverty chic to brand their corporate hospitality operations at the Grubstreet Author. There is still much poverty in the extensive social housing immediately to the north of The Grubstreet Author, and a considerable number of people who are Irish or of Irish descent in the immediate area. The anti-Irish hate spewed out by Grub Street is something The Brewery should show more sensitivity towards. We suggest it renames its new venture after one of the victims of Bloody Sunday, when 14 unarmed civilians were murdered in cold blood by British soldiers on 30 January 1972 – and as many again were shot but survived. Grub Street racism helped fuel and justify endless British massacres in Ireland, including those overseen by Thomas Cromwell. It should go without saying we’d also like to see the City of London owned Cromwell Tower – just off Chiswell Street – renamed Devlin Tower, in honour of the politician and Irish civil right activist Bernadette Devlin McAliskey.

The Sex Offence Allegations Against City Connected MP Charlie Elphicke

Sex offence allegations about Charlie Elphicke recently surfaced. His wife Natalie Elphicke plays a key role in the sinister Housing & Finance Institute (HFI). The HFI was set by the Cameron–Clegg coalition government and based on a review conducted by Natalie Elphicke and Keith House; but even if the HFI originated outside the City of London’s orbit, it is now well within it. That said, even before the review that led to the HFI being set up, Natalie Elphicke and her husband Charlie had ties to the City of London including involvement in the Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association. Charlie Elphicke was deputy chairman of this particular Conservative Association from 2002 to 2006. Likewise, the Tory MP for the Cities of London and Westminster Mark Field has been a brother-in-law to Charlie Elphicke since his marriage to Victoria Elphicke a decade or so ago.

Bank Of England & Billy Bragg, A Marriage Made In Heaven?

“Democracy is not enough. We need to hold corporations to account,” says Billy Bragg. While democracy may or may not be enough, contra Bragg, in the City of London –where the Bank of England is located and Bragg is set to deliver a speech on accountability – democracy would make a huge difference not just to the residents of this rotten borough, but the entire world. It isn’t clear whether Bragg doesn’t know or doesn’t care that the 80% of City of London councillors are ‘elected’ on undemocratic business votes and that local residents have virtually no say in the running of the area. Bragg implies we already have democracy when we don’t. It’s also significant that the rotten borough Bragg’s being feted in is the power base from which the finance industry plots it course of state capture and tax havenry around the world. Establishing democracy in the City of London by – among other things – abolishing the business vote, would do much to curb the unchecked power of the wealthy elite’s financial lobby.

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