I’d love if it if what is now considered a classic piece of political catchphrasing became a rod for David Cameron’s back, but I don’t see it happening. The tide is with the Tories now and nothing they seem to get caught up in damages them the same way it damages Labour.
However I must admit I was surprised by the number of MP’s announced this weekend in the Independent on Sunday to having shares in BP and Shell. Yes, six out of however many isn’t much, but for a party that has basically detoxified itself by being ‘green’ to have members of the front bench with large shares (large by the means of a normal person) in companies like Shell - that have scorched the earth in pursuit of oil, on top of still dealing with Zimbabwe at the height of criticism levelled at the regime there - seems insane.
The Shadow Home Secretary, Dominic Grieve, is my personal favourite, having shares in Anglo-American, who have just opened a platinum mine in Zimbabwe, another mining company Rio Tinto AND Shell.
I wonder what the people who voted Tory recently would feel like if they knew the environmental practises of these companies when they’d voted for a whiter than white party with the environment at the core of it’s message.
Of course, I don’t pretend the Tories are the only one at it. We must all remember the scandal of when Lib Dem Chris Huhne was Shadow Environment Minister whilst holding shares in destructive mining and oil companies.
I don’t even pretend Labour aren’t doing something similar, though I’ve yet to see any evidence of any MP doing so. If I ever do, I will be equally disgusted. Until then though, it’s mainly the Tories who look like a set of two-faced money grubbing special interest politicians.
Update: And if you are in any doubt about the depth of the Tories greeness, let’s not forget Alan Duncan, Shadow Business Secretary, who has and had his finger in various oil company pies.
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