Named and shamed: The government MPs profiting from NHS sell-off
Sickening: These are some of the prominent government ministers who have profited from allowing private companies to provide NHS healthcare services. Meanwhile…
Here’s a new wrinkle on an old story: The social media have been publishing lists of MPs with shares in private healthcare companies – and therefore have their noses in the trough as these companies profit from NHS contracts – since before the Health and Social Care Act 2012 was passed. Now the Unite union has published its own list and the mainstream media have got involved.
Good for Unite – at last this corruption is receiving the attention it deserves.
Named on the list of 71 Coalition MPs (64 Tories; seven Liberal Democrats) are David Cameron and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, along with former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley – proving that corruption played a huge part in the introduction of private firms into NHS work.
Nick Clegg and Vince Cable are also named, providing a clear indication of why the Liberal Democrats colluded in this – we can only call it – crime. Even though none of the politicians mentioned in the list acted against current UK laws, they all acted dishonestly in claiming that the change was good for the country when in fact they meant it was good for themselves.
How many of them declared this clear conflict of interest while voting for the Health and Social Care Act in 2012? None seems the most likely answer.
According to the Daily Mirror, “All 71 MPs named in the dossier voted in favour of the Government’s controversial Health and Social Care Act in 2012, which opened up the NHS to more private firms.”
The revelation comes ahead of Friday’s vote on Labour MP Clive Efford’s Private Members’ Bill, which calls on MPs to scrap key sections of the Act.
This Bill is not to be confused with Labour’s plan to abolish the Act altogether, which could only happen after a Labour government is elected in May next year. The UK Parliamentary system works in such a way that the sitting government can never lose a whipped vote as its members outnumber all other groups in the House of Commons; it is a shame that this blog has to spell it out but some readers have demonstrated a lack of understanding in this regard.
The list includes Andrew Lansley’s now-infamous £21,000 donation in November 2009 from John Nash, the former chairman of Care UK, and Jeremy Hunt received more than £20,000 from hedge fund baron Andrew Law, a major investor in healthcare firms.
… the same government ministers support a benefit system that denies the seriousness of conditions like fibromyalgia. The imagerepresents how people’s bodies would appear if fibromyalgia was visible and is therefore how Mrs Mike would appear.
Here’s the full list – can you find your own MP on it?
1. David Cameron – Prime Minister
Handed a peerage to nursing and care home tycoon Dolar Popat, who has given the Tories more than £200,000 in donations.
2. Andrew Lansley – Former Health Secretary & architect of privatisation
Received a £21,000 donation in Nov 2009 from John Nash, the former chairman of Care UK.
3. Harriet Baldwin – Tory whip
Former executive at JP Morgan, a major player in private healthcare.
4. Greg Barker – former Energy Minister
Held shares in Quester VCT 5 plc ,a venture capital firm with multiple investments in healthcare companies.
5. Henry Bellingham
Former director of Lansdowne Advisory Ltd, which has shares in private healthcare company Circle.
6. Jake Berry
Has registered interests in legal firm Squire Patton Boggs, which workd with multiple NHS trusts on PFI and PPP programs.
7. Graham Brady
Former advisor to PA Consulting, a management consultancy company which has worked with the NHS’s new Clinical Commissioning Groups.
8. Simon Burns – former Health Minister
Attended an oncology conference paid for by Aventis Pharma – a five-day trip to the US funded by a leading drug firm.
9. Nick de Bois
Was the majority shareholder in Rapier Design Group, an events management company heavily involved with the private medical and pharmaceutical industries.
10. Steve Brine
Received almost £15,000 in donations from James Lupton, the chairman of investment bankers, Greenhill Europe which has a global network of corporate relationships in the healthcare sector.
11. Aidan Burley
Received six bottles of wine from Hitachi consultants for a speech in 2011. Hitachi Consulting UK built an online ‘portal’ for NHS commissioners to help them monitor performance.
12. Damian Collins
Spent almost a decade working for marketing agency M&C Saatchi, whose clients include PPP healthcare, AXA insurance, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and Merck
13. David Davis – former shadow home secretary
Received a payment of £4,250 for a six-hour speaking engagement for private health insurance company Aviva.
14. Jonathan Djanogly
Received £1,900 from Huntleigh Healthcare Ltd, which manufactures medical and orthopaedic equipment and instruments.
15. Richard Drax
Received £14,000 in a series of donations from Derek Luckhurst, chief executive and owner of care home group Agincare.
16. Iain Duncan-Smith – Work and Pensions Secretary
Has shares in hygiene technology company Byotrol plc, which sells products to the NHS.
17. Philip Dunne
Was a non-executive director for investment firm Baronsmead VCT 4 plc, which had multiple investments in private healthcare companies.
18. Michael Fallon – Defence Secretary
Former director of Attendo AB, – a Swedish private health company.
19. Mark Field
Was a board advisor to Ellwood and Atfield; a recruitment firm which recruit for NHS positions and private healthcare.
20. Liam Fox – former Defence Secretary
Received £5,000 from investment company IPGL Ltd, who purchased healthcare pharma company Cyprotex.
21. George Freeman
Has shares in Hill House Assets Ltd, formally private health firm 4D Biomedical Ltd.
22. Mike Freer
Provided marketing advice to Care Matters, a financial planning company for care homes.
23. Richard Fuller
Worked for L.E.K consulting, which has six ‘partners’ in European healthcare.
24. Richard Graham
Received £3,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.
25. William Hague – Leader of the Commons
Received a £20,000 donation from MMC Ventures, which parts owns The Practice plc which runs 60 GP surgeries.
26. Philip Hammond – Foreign Secretary
Beneficiary of a trust which owns a controlling interest in healthcare and nursing home developer Castlemead Ltd.
27. Mark Harper
Received £5,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.
28. Nick Herbert
Received £15,000 in donations from Caroline Nash, wife of former Care UK chairman John Nash.
29. Jeremy Hunt – Health Secretary
Received £32,920 from hedge fund baron Andrew Law, a major investor in healthcare firms.
30. Margot James
Had a key role at marketing giant WPP Group, which had a long list of healthcare clients.
31. Sajid Javid – Culture Secretary
Received £11,000 from Moundsley Healthcare Ltd last year.
32. Jo Johnson – Downing Street policy adviser
Received £6,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.
33. Kwarsi Kwateng
Worked as an analyst for for Crispin Odey’s hedge fund Odey Asset Management.
34. Mark Lancaster
Former adviser to property venture capital firm Company Palmer Capital Partners Ltd, a funder of Danescroft Commercial Developments, which has worked in the healthcare sector.
35. Dr Phillip Lee
Has worked as a freelance or Medical Solutions Ltd, which provided medical cover for events.
36. Oliver Letwin – former shadow chancellor
Was a non-executive director of N.M. Rothschild Corporate Finance Ltd, which invests heavily in healthcare.
37. Peter Lilley
Non-Executive director of management software firm Idox plc, which provides services to the NHS Health Libraries Group and NHS Education for Scotland.
38. Tim Loughton
Received £350 for training sessions with Cumberlege Connections, a political networking firm that works “extensively” with the pharmaceutical industry.
39. Mary Macleod
Was a senior executive at Andersen Consulting/Accenture, which has profited from big PFI deals.
40. Francis Maude – Cabinet Office Secretary
Was a director of PR firm Huntsworth plc, which was part of lobbying group Healthcare Communications Association.
41. Maria Miller – former Culture Secretary
Former director of Grey’s Advertising Ltd, an advertising and brand company which worked extensively with clients in the healthcare sector.
42. Andrew Mitchell – former International Development Secretary
Was a strategy adviser to global management firm Accenture, which has worked extensively with private healthcare companies and the NHS.
43. Penny Mordaunt – Communities Minister
Worked for lobbying firm Hanover, where she had a range of healthcare clients.
44. Brooks Newmark – former Charities Minister
Partner in the Allele Fund, which invests in healthcare startups.
45. Jesse Norman
Received £5,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.
46. Stephen O’Brien
Received payments totalling £40,000 from Julian Schild, whose family made £184million in 2006 by selling hospital bed-makers Huntleigh Technology.
47. George Osborne – Chancellor
Received donation through Conservative Campaign Headquarters from Julian Schild – see above.
48. Priti Patel – Treasury Minister
Worked for lobbying firm Weber Shandwick, which does PR for big healthcare and pharmaceutical firms.
49. John Redwood – former Cabinet Minister
Advised the private equity company which runs Pharmacy2u, the UK’s largest dedicated internet and mail order pharmacy.
50. Jacob Rees-Mogg
Partner of Somerset Capital Management LLP, which has healthcare investor Redwood Emerging Markets Dividend Income Fund as a client.
51. Sir Malcolm Rifkind – former Foreign Secretary
Chairman of advisory board at L.E.K. Consulting LLP, which helps private healthcare firms identify “new business development” and “opportunities with the Government”.
52. Amber Rudd – Energy Minister
Received £3,000 from hedge fund baron Andrew Law, a major investor in healthcare firms.
53. David Ruffley
Received £10,000 in donations from Caroline Nash, wife of former Care UK chairman John Nash.
54. Mark Simmonds – former Foreign Minister
Was paid £50,000 a year as a “strategic adviser” to Circle Health.
55. Chris Skidmore
Received £3,500 for speeches to STAC Consultancy, which specialises in the launch of pharmaceutical products.
56. Julian Smith
Received a £2,500 donation from Principle Healthcare Ltd in September 2014.
57. Nicholas Soames
Received £2,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.
58. John Stanley
Consultant on financial services to FIL Investment Management Ltd, which invests in healthcare.
59. Andrew Tyrie – select committee chairman
Attended the Ryder Cup as Secretary of the Parliamentary Golf Society, with travel and accommodation paid for by U.S. healthcare services company Humana Europe.
60. Robin Walker
His office received a £2,000 donation from Redwood Care Homes, which owns multiple care homes.
61. David Willetts – former Universities Minister
Has shares in Sensortec, a company that owns Vantix which was working on a contract for a new product to detect MRSI.
62. Rob Wilson
Had registered shares in Vital Imaging, a private screening company.
63. Tim Yeo
Also attended the 2008 Ryder Cup, courtesy of Humana Europe.
64. Nadhim Zahawi
Non-executive director of recruitment company SThree, which specialises in the Ppharmaceutical and biotechnology sector.
65. Menzies Campbell – former leader
Non-executive director of Scottish American Investment Company plc, which took over one of the care homes when Southern Cross collapsed.
66. Vince Cable – Business Secretary
Received a donation of £2,000 from Chartwell Care Services, which is 100% owned by Chartwell Health & Care PLC. It also owns Chartwell Private Hospitals plc, which provide day case surgery to NHS patients.
67. Nick Clegg – Deputy Prime Minister
Received a donation to his constituency office for £5,000 from Alpha Medical Consultancy.
68. Simon Hughes – Justice Minister
Received £60,000 donation to his constituency party from the founder of Alpha Hospitals, a private hospital firm.
69. Stephen Lloyd
MP for Eastbourne. Received £544.92 aggregated over time for office equipment from Platon Medical Ltd – who provides Ear, Nose and throat devices.
70. Robert Smith
Has shares in pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.
71. Jo Swinson – Business Minister
Received a donation of £2,000 September 2013 from private optician firm, Peter Ivins Eye Care.
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I hate doing this because you’re right to point this out but ‘fraid the buck does not stop with Conservatives and Libs (though I hate them with a passion) and ‘fraid it’s not honest to not point out that Labour is by no means guiltless – 2014 list of Lords and MPs with vested interests –
http://socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/compilation-of-parliamentary-financial.html
Didn’t Labour vote against the Health and Social Care Act, though?
sure, and that’s because it’s the right thing to do and if they didn’t all hell would have rightfully been let loose at them….. but the Efford Bill is not the redress that it presents itself as being, and I don’t want to get into the same argument you’re having with others as they are more than capable at pointing out what problems many people do have with Labour, but I did feel that to not highlight that the whole political establishment on all sides of the chamber and houses have something to gain by maintaining a market element to the detriment of a fully nationalised NHS was wrong
Some extremely loathsome people on that list, but no real surprises.
Labour voted against the HCA yes. However, a look at the ‘Efford Bill’ and it proposed amendment to the HCA show Labour’s opposition to the HCA to be partisan posturing and gesture politics. Here’s what Keep Our NHS Public say about Labour’s NHS stance. “Please find below clarification around the Efford Bill and KONP steering group discussions and vote last week which can be forwarded as required.
The Efford Bill is a carefully orchestrated deception designed to pacify New Labour voters into accepting that Labour will come to the rescue of the NHS after spending 13 years privatising it in preparation for the current round of destructive fragmentation by the coalition government. Efford’s Bill was constructed secretively without collaboration and assistance that was offered by the Pollock team.
The details of the bill do not satisfy the goals of KONP or other groups genuinely interested in preserving the NHS as a publicly funded, provided and accountable service. Superficially repeal of s75 and elevating the NHS to preferred provider may provide some comfort but in fact Efford retains the structures of the HSCA 2012 and simultaneously allows for private monopoly providers to emerge. A public monopoly reconfigured to allow a private monopoly in commission by UnitedHealth. There is no commitment to remove the hugely wasteful market apparatus or to tackle the PFI millstone.
Efford’s con trick allows the private insurance industry take over to continue unabated and simultaneously gaining votes for GE 2015. Myself and several others at the SG made the case against Efford’s bill and were supported by a clear majority vote. KONP groups should not therefore spend their valuable time backing a bill which has insignificant impact on reversing privatisation”.
I think some people have a very loose grasp of what is achievable in the current Parliament, under a Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government.
Until we have a change of government – that means NO Conservatives and NO Liberal Democrats – there can be no repeal of the Health and Social Care Act. They won’t have it.
Efford is trying to achieve modifications that will lessen the harm, until such time as a new government can get rid of this hateful, corrupt new system once and for all. If KONP is trying to shoehorn it into a different definition for its own political purposes, then that organisation has fallen in my estimation. The line about ‘New Labour voters’ is a giveaway there.
It occurs to me that this commentary on Efford’s Bill could be sour grapes arising from KONP not having been consulted on it.
This is why I despise party politics, yes, there are those in Labour who have “vested interests”
The media love to point out the union’s ties with Labour, strangely omitting the rich and big business ties to the Tories.
A clearout is badly needed of Blairites/Brownites and Gobsh***s (why Dan Hodges was Labour I’ll never know)
Due to media bias, Labour has an uphill struggle before May 2015 and if they can pull off a victory, then Ed Milliband should take credit.
“Blairites, Brownites and Gobsh*t*s” is my commenter quote of the day, I reckon.
Labour aren’t seeking to revoke the new EU procurement laws that are being introduced regardless of Labour’s S75 amendments or take TTIP out of the whole of the healthcare industry. And yes, people working in the NHS and using the NHS have good reason to be tasting sour grapes if they are not consulted on how the NHS will be should a ‘Labour’ government come in. The ‘pledge’ to keep the NHS as ‘preferred provider’ goes back to 2009. Despite all evidence that the involvement of private companies is detrimental to health care delivery both in terms of cost and effectiveness, they are still committed to opening doors for the private sector. I don’t think there’s much more I can say to people who are willing to take in anything that has a red and yellow rosette pinned to it; my experience of Labour’s approach and its consequences is probably different to yours. http://www.healthinvestor.co.uk/(X(1)A(9NOrOlEu0AEkAAAAMjhlOWI4MWUtMWIzOS00ZmNiLWI5MjYtYjcxN2YwMzAzYzk3dELKcC_n10h35toUD7wBkP30IOI1)S(z1kfyszdcvzxfoveazvkdsj1))/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=3604
I was going to put up a long answer but thought better of it. My original answer stands, since you don’t seem to have taken it in. To recap: Efford’s bill is an attempt to relieve some of the harm being caused as a result of the Health and Social Care Act, in a way that might attract support from members of the Coalition Government (like the Liberal Democrats) – because that’s the only way this Bill will be enacted.
It is not – and should not be confused with – the Labour Party’s planned repeal of the Health and Social Care Act, that can only take place if a Labour government is returned to office in 2015.
You see determined to create as much confusion between the two as you possibly can. I wonder why.
Then those who profiting from the nhs sell off need to be brought to book over it the law needs changing once again against these parasites who cant behave cant keep their fingers out off the till if you were anyone else theyd be done for crimes to numerous to state yet the people should now wake up that they rotten to the core and should face that clanging door time jeff3
They will find somewhere to invade before that, distraction politics.
Yes Mike, and as we know they are the only major party with a chance of winning the 2015 general election who has stated that they will repeal Lansley’s act.
This precious government of ours needs to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, for what they have done to their own people.
Sadly they are all rotten to the core. But until we, the public, insist on decency and honesty with all the political parties and I include Labour in this we cannot hope for them to change when they have such vested interests.
What we need are politicians who are not dependent of outside funding but are funded by the state. Remember the old saying “he who pays the piper calls the tune” and in a democracy its the public that must call the tune not vested financial interests.
I agree completely with this. We should have decent, honest politicians – and I include Labour in that as well. We all know of bad Labour politicians; I want them out of the party, and I want them out now! Taking away the possibility of sponsorship/donations from outside organisations would be a good step forward.
they should all come out and admit that they own shares in these private health clinics. they would be quick to jump on labours back if they were doing the same and people need to be made aware of this.
How about banning all of those listed for standing for Parliament in May 2015? They are not fit to govern because of “vested interests”! Members should have to rely on the very generous salaries and allowances – if they are properly claimed!
Why the f*** are Unite still therefore affiliated to the Labour party or red tories? Withdraw the Unite funding and help leave them to starve, as labour are clearly not worthy. On the other hand I am open to Unite providing their reasonings to try and convince me otherwise? Disunite from the labour leeches who I won’t even give the respect of a capital L!!
While I disagree with your assessment of the Labour Party, it would be interesting to see a statement from Unite on why it does continue to support Labour under current conditions.
Sack those who are in the photo after all camoran seid day or two ago we the public are the mps bosses .so sack them because thay can’t run a wheelbarrow