BAE’s links with New Labour
James P | 15.11.2008 11:07 | Anti-militarism | Globalisation
MPs have just received their invitations to a Christmas drinks reception hosted by arms manufacturer BAE Systems.
And guess which MP is sponsoring the reception?
None other than former health secretary Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt.
This is not the first time that Hewitt has come to BAE’s assistance. In 2003, as Trade and Industry Secretary she publicly backed the case for a multibillion pound defence contract to BAE to keep its Hawk jet fighter in production – a move estimated to have cost the taxpayer £450 million to give the RAF obsolete planes they didn’t even want.
It was also Hewitt who overruled Gordon Brown and Clare Short to grant BAE a government export licence for a military air traffic control system to Tanzania. Short said the deals was was corrupt and "stank".
Is there something that we’re not being told?
And guess which MP is sponsoring the reception?
None other than former health secretary Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt.
This is not the first time that Hewitt has come to BAE’s assistance. In 2003, as Trade and Industry Secretary she publicly backed the case for a multibillion pound defence contract to BAE to keep its Hawk jet fighter in production – a move estimated to have cost the taxpayer £450 million to give the RAF obsolete planes they didn’t even want.
It was also Hewitt who overruled Gordon Brown and Clare Short to grant BAE a government export licence for a military air traffic control system to Tanzania. Short said the deals was was corrupt and "stank".
Is there something that we’re not being told?
James P
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