LIAM FOX and chum Adam Werritty may have lived it large at Trader Vic’s in Dubai, but back in the UK a generous arms industry has been ensuring other Ministry of Defence personnel don’t go hungry or thirsty, according to the MoD hospitality register published under David Cameron’s “open government” agenda.The register’s details are skimpy and not terribly up to date, but the latest releases, running from May 2010 to March 2011, show that at a time when the department has been trying to keep down weapons costs, the arms industry and its lobbyists have been busy making reservations.Over this period, Dr Fox was taken to lunch by the US weapons firm General Dynamics and to watch rugby by the UK-US military joint venture, Babcock-Dyncorp. His international security strategy minister Gerald Howarth, meanwhile, had lunch with BAE Systems three times; and helicopter firm Augusta Westland also took him to see some rugby too.
The MoD’s mouthpiece in the Lords, Lord Astor, received “overnight accommodation” from the military plane maker EADS and had a lunch courtesy of the engine-maker Rolls Royce.
Making a meal of it
Not to be ignored, Andrew Robathan, the MoD’s minister for personnel, welfare and veterans, had dinner with the UK Defence Forum, an arms industry group run by Robin Ashby of the lobbying firm Bergmans, and was also given lunch by EADS.
Peter Luff, the MoD’s minister for equipment, support and technology, was feted on all sides. EADS gave him dinner; he was a “VIP guest” of Boeing; and the US defence giant Lockheed Martin gave him lunch. He also enjoyed “overnight accommodation” courtesy of Northern Defence Industries, another arms group promoted by Bergmans. Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems each separately took Luff out to dinner; and he was also treated to a buffet lunch with arms industry trade group Aerospace, Defence and Security.
Fox’s special advisers had a particular taste for US defence firm Northrop Grumman, it seems. Luke Coffey, himself a former US officer (and whose stag do was reportedly celebrated by Fox & Co at Trader Vic’s in Dubai), had a breakfast and a dinner with the American outfit. Meanwhile Fox’s other adviser, Oliver Waghorn, had lunch with Northrop and a lunch with Lockheed Martin.
From Private Eye:
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=hp_sauce&issue=1300
