Monday, June 08, 2009

Alan Sugar, the NHS and his first conflict of interest?

Yesterday morning, Sir Alan Sugar was doing the rounds of the news studios about what a great guy Gordon Brown was, and how he was consulting at all times with the BBC about what he will do in Government and where that might fall in line with the impartiality of the BBC.

Last night the BBC's Apprentice show ended, with Yasmina winning. During the after show, Sugar explained where Yasmina would be working. Noting that she would working at Amscreen Healthcare. Basically putting digital signage into the NHS and pumping advertising through to make money.

So let me get this straight. Sir Alan Sugar, soon to be Lord Alan Sugar (of Barrowboy Spitalfield) who will be taking the Labour whip, owns a company who's primary target is to make money out of the NHS by conviccing them to have free digital screens with advertising provided by him?

Then Tories are banging on about his BBC position being untenable. I'd say they've missed a trick and there is a much greater interest he has in making cash as a result of being in the Government.

9 comments:

Lasting Designs said...

I thought that too Dizzy. And with the Apprentice 5 being shown and ending in a years time - when will the GE be held? Lord 2 Lumps will be on prime time during the GE campaigning time.

Anonymous said...

I think you will find it hard to find any businessman who doesn't have some involvement with the public sector and hence a potential conflict of interest.

dizzy said...

Errr and the point here is?

Bonetired said...

Dizzy mate ..

More interesting than that. Viglen - whose chairman is Lord Sucrose - recently won a big contract with HMG.

Over here on ElReg.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/05/viglen_public_sector_contract/

talwin said...

"...who will be taking the Labour whip,..."

Hasn't it been suggested that he didn't know what the Labour whip was?

dizzy said...

That was yesterday morning, since when its been reported he is taking the whip.

Demetrius said...

This is not the least of his worries. When he awarded last years "Apprentice" prize to a male fragrance, it seems that the product could have the properties of a spermicide, as well as other nasty effects. This one is rumbling away and could surface any time now.

Jock Coats said...

Our new A&E department in Oxford is called the Drayson Wing. Presumably Lord Powderject makes his money direct from the NHS rather than just through having some of their spare space for advertising.

Security word - "glypen" - how appropriate for a piece about powderject!

Unknown said...

I guess there are several reasons why the Tories don't want to make too much of Alan Sugar making money from being in Labour, for the same reasons they couldn't attack too hard over expenses...