A QUESTION OF MANAGING ONES 'IMAGE'


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/a-new-boom-industry-coaching-select-committee-witnesses-for-ordeal-by-hodge-8945619.

In the face of corporate power that blows away attempts at democratic accountability with the force of a hurricane, MP’s are like little children attempting to control a rabid Pit Bull terrier. Multi-national corporations continually demonstrate nothing but contempt for national governments, parliaments and other democratic assemblies. They do what they will regardless of the protests of elected representatives, those that is that they have not already bought. They wield their power with the connivance of ruling elites; as in the UK when the government turns a blind eye to blatant tax avoidance and the exploitation of the local labour force.

Now the poor dears are worried because they feel their ‘image’ could be damaged by being required to appear before a select committee. Lord Bell, who runs some sort of consultancy advising these corporations, goes so far as to whine:

“There is nothing to be gained from these companies being candid or transparent any longer. It’s about ‘Let’s get out of here without making a mistake’. They are much more frightened of these committees than they used to be.”

We do it for love not money!
“Candid and transparent,” I must have slept through those sessions. There most be at least a hundred expression of incredulity in the English language, I rather like ‘pull the other one, it’s got bells on it.’

In truth these corporations go out of their way to make their business operations, employment practices and tax arrangements as opaque as possible. What pisses them off about parliamentary committees is that they are compelled to attend and give an account of themselves, in the course of which they face the risk that the curtain may be lifted on the reality behind the candy coated façade they seek to project.

Already an embryonic propaganda campaign is taking shape to discredit the committee system, particularly the most effective chair, Margaret Hodge. Paid flunkeys like Macer Hall, a Daily Express hack, are now composing lyrics to tunes whistled by the likes of Starbucks, Amazon and Google.[1] Keep your eye out for more of this.


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