Corporate Labour

LORD GOLDSMITH, Blair's former attorney-general, has a new job at a US law firm on a salary of about £1 million a year. The government's former chief legal adviser 'advised' Blair that Britain should join Bush's imperialist war in Iraq in 2003.

Other ex-Blair cabinet members to be doing well from 'advice' include former health secretary Alan Milburn. He gets £25,000 a year as an adviser to Pepsi-Cola and £30,000 a year for his role on Lloyds pharmacy's health advisory panel and £35,000 as an adviser to the European board of Bridgepoint Capital Ltd, a finance company with an interest in health care.

Corporate Labour 2

WHO WAS in charge at New Labour's recent party conference? The big corporations dominated the fringe meetings. Coca-Cola sponsored and spoke at a meeting on "corporate social responsibility." What is it about New Labour? All bubbles but no substance.

Health minister Dawn Primarola was speaking on the obesity crisis in a meeting organised by Nestlé, the chocolate and food multinational that has vending machines in schools for its fattening produce!

Boots sponsored a Fabian meeting aimed at getting high street chemists (like Boots) to deliver NHS services. Private health firm BUPA paid for another Fabian meeting where health minister Lord Darzi spoke on: "Beyond hospitals, transforming the NHS." Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Merck, Sharp and Dohme were amongst sponsors/ speakers at a meeting addressed by Lord Warner, former health minister.