Concern over Enron's links to British parties and politicians

The Independent ^ | Jan 12, 2002 | BEN RUSSELL

[CommiesOut]

Enron Collapse: Concern over Enron's links to British parties and politicians
The Independent - United Kingdom; Jan 12, 2002
BY BEN RUSSELL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

ENRON IS a company which has wooed figures in high places in Britain as well as across the Atlantic.

It gave thousands of pounds to the Labour Party in sponsorship after the 1997 general election. Lord Wakeham, the former Conservative energy secretary, now chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, has had a seat on the company's board since 1994. The peer is a member of the company's audit committee, according to the company's annual report for 2000.

Enron paid out nearly pounds 30,000 to Labour in sponsorship in 1997 and 1998. The company spent pounds 15,000 to fund drinks at the annual party conference dinner in 1998. It also paid pounds 7,500 for a table at the Labour Party gala dinner a year earlier. Enron Europe Limited gave the Labour Party more than pounds 5,000 a year between 1997 and 2000, according to party accounts.

Links between the company and Labour led to controversy after the company's pounds 1.4bn bid for Wessex Water was cleared by the then secretary of state for trade and industry, Peter Mandelson, without a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Mr Mandelson insisted at the time that his decision was in line with advice from the water regulator and the office of fair trading.

The episode was cited in a dossier prepared by Liz Davies, a left-wing member of Labour's national executive, in 1999. She warned against allowing commercial links which could be seen as creating a conflict of interest.

Enron also attracted Clare Spottiswoode, the former British gas industry regulator, who worked for the company's water arm, Azurix, as senior vice- president of regulatory affairs for a short time in 1998 and 1999. The appointment was cleared by the then Nolan Committee on standards in public life, which oversees job moves by former senior civil servants.

Enron, which employs 5,400 people in Britain, ran three gas-fired power stations on Teesside, and accounts for 10 to 15 per cent of all energy trading in the country. Some 150,000 homes and businesses use Enron electricity and gas.

The Conservatives said they had not received money from any branch of Enron.

All Material Subject to Copyright

[CommiesOut]

energetic bump

[CommiesOut]

Wakeham's Enron

[Dog]

It seems Labor's hands were in the cookie jar...

[Dog]

Ping!

[CommiesOut]

Democrats seek revenge as scandal surrounding biggest US corporate bankruptcy swirls closer to the White House

"As Washington scandals go, this is the perfect storm," enthused a top aide of Henry Waxman, the Democrat congressman from California who leads one of half a dozen committees on Capitol Hill gearing up for hearings on the matter.

You could almost sense the glee among the capital's army of scandal trackers, vastly underemployed since the departure of Bill Clinton. Democrats in particular relish the moment. Washington is a city where revenge is an industry. Is Enron going to be payback time for the Republican hounding of the previous Democratic adminstration? You bet.

[CommiesOut]

Enron Benefited in U.K., Gave Funds to Labour

[CommiesOut]

Enron row mires Bush in sleaze

[PhiKapMom]

Look how much information has been found out in 48 hours -- why can't the cable tv news morons give that same information to the people? All we hear is how this is going to damage Pres Bush!

[GROUCHOTWO]

When did Henry Waxman suddenly develop a conscience?

In 1998 these same squawkers were very silent about the bailout of LTCM. At that time Greenscam, Robert Rubin, the New York Fed and others worked very hard to arrange a $4Billion bailout for this private firm. They received praise for this.

[CommiesOut]

Concience? How about a fierce internal struggle over who controls crumbling empire.
Sheeple still hope it's about them, the sheeples.
As usual the most important thing is who's who in the army and other agencies.
Citi's Rubin made a call for Enron

[GROUCHOTWO]

So Robert Rubin wanted to falsify the ratings given to Enron in an attempt to deceive investors! This former US Sec. of the Treasury wanted to cook the books!

[CommiesOut]

Legal group wants Bush, Clinton ties to energy giant probed

[CommiesOut]

Funny (?) stuff from the Land of PR

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Yadda yadda + scenarios

[CommiesOut]

How about this one:
$600 Billion may have been used to prop up the stock market at key moments in late September and early October 2001 thru Enron

[GROUCHOTWO]

While they are at it, they should investigate the SEC for not revealing the scamsters that were involved in the pre-Sept.11 puts and shorts fraud.

[GROUCHOTWO]

$600 Billion!!!

[CommiesOut]

Prosecutors are named in federal Enron probe
More calls were made to aid Enron
Houston Chronicle Enron links
Enron Contributed to Both Parties
Hillary's Enron Moment
Enron spread the wealth around Washington (China's revenge)
Enron sought Clinton's help for project in India
Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani meets Clinton in New York

Tora Bora!...