Politics 24 August 2012 Who is left defending George Osborne? The economists have deserted him, and business leaders are nowhere to be heard. Print HTML So far, we have heard from 13 of the 20 economists who signed the now-infamous letter to George Osborne in the Sunday Times in February 2010, in which they argued that: [The] government's goal should be to eliminate the structural current Budget deficit over the course of a parliament. Eleven of the economists responded to the New Statesman's request for a comment, two and a half years on. Of those, nine admitted that the changed situation had caused them to change their minds; one, Albert Marcet of Spain, remained supportive of Osborne; and the eleventh, Oxford's John Vickers, declined to comment either way. Since then, two further signatories have got in touch with the Daily Telegraph to confirm that they, too, remain supportive. But what of the other seven? Will they admit they got it wrong; stake their colours ever firmer to a dying idea; or take the cowards' way out? We are still waiting to hear from: Sir Howard Davies, then of the London School of Economics, now working for France's Science Po Meghnad Desai, formerly of the London School of Economics Andrew Turnbull, former Cabinet Secretary Orazio Attanasio of University College London John Muellbauer of Nuffield College, Oxford Thomas Sargent of New York University, joint winner of 2011 Nobel prize in economics Anne Sibert of Birkbeck College The economists aren't the only letter writers who should be embarrassed of their record. What about the 35 businesspeople who signed, corralled by CCHQ, their own letter in October 2010, to the Telegraph, which began: It has been suggested that the deficit reduction programme set out by George Osborne in his emergency Budget should be watered down and spread over more than one parliament. We believe that this would be a mistake. This letter was signed by the 34 men and one woman in their personal capacities, but some of them have surely been hit hard by the collapse in confidence which has ensued in the last two years. Andy Bond, ASDA's former chairman, can't be too happy about the impact the weak economy has had on his old company's sales growth, for instance. Of course, some are unlikely to recant no matter what the evidence. Party-funding transparency website Search the Money reveals that five of the 35 are donors to the Tories, with donations totalling over half a million pounds between them. Will any of the business leaders recant? The full list, including positions in 2010, is below. The New Statesman awaits their response. Will Adderley, CEO, Dunelm Group Robert Bensoussan, Chairman, L.K. Bennett Andy Bond, Chairman, ASDA Ian Cheshire, Chief Executive, Kingfisher Gerald Corbett, Chairman, SSL International, moneysupermarket.com, Britvic Peter Cullum, Executive Chairman, Towergate Tej Dhillon, Chairman and CEO, Dhillon Group Philip Dilley, Chairman, Arup Charles Dunstone, Chairman, Carphone Warehouse Group, Chairman, TalkTalk Telecom Group Warren East, CEO, ARM Holdings Gordon Frazer, Managing Director, Microsoft UK Sir Christopher Gent, Non-Executive Chairman, GlaxoSmithKline Ben Gordon, Chief Executive, Mothercare Anthony Habgood, Chairman, Whitbread , Chairman, Reed Elsevier Aidan Heavey, Chief Executive, Tullow Oil Neil Johnson, Chairman, UMECO Nick Leslau, Chairman, Prestbury Group Ian Livingston, CEO, BT Group Ruby McGregor-Smith, CEO, MITIE Group Rick Medlock, CFO, Inmarsat; Non-Executive Director lovefilms.com, The Betting Group John Nelson, Chairman, Hammerson Stefano Pessina, Executive Chairman, Alliance Boots Nick Prest, Chairman, AVEVA Nick Robertson, CEO, ASOS Sir Stuart Rose, Chairman, Marks & Spencer Tim Steiner, CEO, Ocado Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman and CEO, Inmarsat Michael Turner, Executive Chairman, Fuller, Smith and Turner Moni Varma,Chairman,Veetee Paul Walker, Chief Executive, Sage Paul Walsh, Chief Executive, Diageo Robert Walters, CEO, Robert Walters Joseph Wan, Chief Executive, Harvey Nichols Bob Wigley, Chairman, Expansys, Stonehaven Associates, Yell Group Simon Wolfson, Chief Executive, Next Read David Blanchflower's most recent column for the New Statesman, "Perhaps Iain Duncan Smith will accuse me of peeing on the data", here › Friday Arts Diary Lord Wolfson, one of Osborne's defenders. Photograph: Getty Images David Blanchflower is economics editor of the New Statesman and professor of economics at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire More Related articles Beware SNP rhetoric on St Andrew's Day If you want a good deal out of Brexit, first, understand that there are other politicians in the EU than Angela Merkel Workers on boards or shareholder revolts? 13 ideas for holding bosses to account Subscription offer 12 issues for £12 + FREE book LEARN MORE Close This week’s magazine
Show Hide image The Staggers 29 November 2016 Kate Bush thinks Theresa May is "wonderful" - and it's not the first time she's turned political Bush also recorded a 1980s music video about Ken Livingstone. Print HTML Kate Bush has described Theresa May as “the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time” because of her intelligence and power as a woman. Asked about her song “Waking the Witch” and fears of women’s power in an interview with the Canadian magazine Macleans, the iconic musician praised the British Prime Minister. She told the magazine: “We have a female prime minister here in the UK. I actually really like her and think she’s wonderful. I think it’s the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time.” Bush praised “sensible” May’s intelligence and added: “It is great to have a woman in charge of the country.” Imaginative singer-songwriter Bush has broken many records for women in music, including becoming the first female artist to have eight albums in the top 40 at the same time. Although Bush herself has said she hates the word feminist, her songs often address feminist themes, such as This Woman’s Work, about the dangers of childbirth. Nevertheless, in light of Bush’s approval of May, The Staggers feels compelled to revisit the 1980s, when she sang the soundtrack to The Comic Strip Presents… series “GLC: The Carnage Continues”. The satirical music video shows Ken Livingstone, played by Robbie Coltrane, launching a violent takeover of the Greater London Council. Bush sings over the top: “Where is the man that we all need?... Ken is the man we all need. Ken is the leader of the GLC.” She even refers to Livingstone as a “sex machine”. In the video, Ken is living in the wild, when he discovers a plan to flood South London. The song begins as Ken is handing out posters and campaigning while also getting back into shape with the help of weights and a bottle of milk. He then storms into the corrupt offices of the GLC and pushes out the leader, releases prisoners and rallies a bunch of armed guerilla fighters. Livingstone later became Mayor of London, and afterwards has devoted much of his time to his hobby of talking about Hitler, but he didn't forget. In 2010, he told The Quietus: “Of course I was a fan of the song.” Julia Rampen is the editor of The Staggers, The New Statesman's online rolling politics blog. She was previously deputy editor at Mirror Money Online and has worked as a financial journalist for several trade magazines. More Related articles Beware SNP rhetoric on St Andrew's Day If you want a good deal out of Brexit, first, understand that there are other politicians in the EU than Angela Merkel Workers on boards or shareholder revolts? 13 ideas for holding bosses to account
