Stagecoach tycoon labels rich people the most ‘narcissistic and self-obsessed’
HE is one of the country’s most successful businessmen and his family is estimated to be worth nearly £1 billion. But Sir Brian Souter, who has also ploughed in part of his fortune to the SNP, has taken aim at his fellow millionaires. At a prayer breakfast earlier this month, the transport tycoon said the most “narcissistic” and “self-obsessed” people he had met were rich.
He added that wealthy people are in need of “transformation” in their lives just as much as heroin addicts.
Souter and his sister Ann Gloag made their money by founding Scottish-based bus company Stagecoach, which also owns coach operator Megabus and South West Trains.
Stagecoach serves around 2.5 million passengers a day and the transport giant also operates in North America. Souter and Gloag were said to be worth £920 million, although it was reported last year that the siblings had split their wealth in order to follow “different investment strategies”.
Souter is also known for his charitable giving via his family trust, which has awarded more than £32 million over the last three years.
An evangelical Christian who is linked to the Church of the Nazarene, the tycoon’s charity is interested in projects that relieve human suffering and promote spiritual welfare.
Souter recently fronted an event in Edinburgh at which he promoted the theory of “transformation”, which in Christianity focuses on changing individual lives.
He interviewed a former heroin addict, Alfie McCracken, who told of how he used to be homeless and had considered taking his own life.
In conversation with Souter, McCracken said his life changed after he visited a church in Largs and was “smothered in love”.
He said he found Jesus and stopped using drugs.
Souter then made a speech in which he said “rules” and “role models” are not enough to transform lives, a process that also requires a “redeemer”.
He claimed McCracken had found his redeemer: “When he had an encounter with Jesus Christ, transformation happened in his life. A supernatural power, greater than his own, was able to deliver him from the addiction of heroin”.
However, he added that other individuals did not feel their own lives required the same change: “I meet a lot of wealthy people in my walk of life, and let me tell you, they need transformation just as much as Alfie.”
Souter added: “The most narcissistic, self-obsessed people I have met have had a lot of money, and I don’t find that among the homeless. The truth is we all need transformation.”
The tycoon’s political donations have attracted more attention than his charitable giving. Souter has given more than £2m to the SNP and pro-independence causes, including sizeable pre-election donations.
He also spent over £1m in 2000 bankrolling a private referendum opposing Government plans to repeal anti-gay rights legislation. His high-profile campaign was widely criticised by MSPs, who believed he was hijacking democracy in a bid to keep a discriminatory law.
Christian Wolmer, who wrote a book in the 1990s which charted the rise of Stagecoach, said of Souter’s remarks: “I am glad that Brian is prepared to be critical of some of his fellow millionaires but it is a mistake to think that only religion offers solutions.
“If the rich paid taxes commensurate with their income and their wealth, then there would be sufficient money in the public services to ensure that there would be fewer people like Alfie who find themselves in bad situations.”
He added: “The rich need to develop a social conscience, recognise the problem of inequality and be prepared to put back into society what they have gained from it.”
Wolmer said: “To be fair, I do recognise that Brian does that.”
The most narcissistic, selfobsessed people I have met have had a lot of money, and I don’t find that amongst the homeless