The dastardly Mr Deedes
Jaguar Land Rover’s Bavarian-born boss Ralf Speth’s warning that a bad Brexit deal risks its £80bn investment in the UK echoes threats made last week by Airbus, whose boss ‘Major’ tom enders hails from Bruchertseifen. BMW weighed in with similar comments soon after. Is Germany now orchestrating Project Fear Mark Zwei? Former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond has agreed to discuss his controversial time at the bank in front of an audience in Westminster in a fortnight’s time with author Philip Augar. His last public grilling on these shores was in front of the Commons Treasury Select Committee in 2011 to explain his role in the Libor-rigging scandal. Car crash stuff, as I recall, but then beaming Bob’s never been one to hide his light under a bushel. Bank of england governor Mark Carney’s apparent excitement about england’s progress in the World Cup – he had a three Lions badge fixed to his lapel yesterday – is unsurprising. the Canadian hasn’t had much to cheer about down the years, footiewise. Canada has qualified for only one World Cup, in 1986, and failed to score a single goal. On the domestic front, Carney insists on backing perennial also-rans everton. He began supporting them in the 1990s when visiting relatives in Liverpool while working at Goldman Sachs. Former Bank of England governor Sir Gordon Richardson is revealed to have advised Harold Wilson he should ‘on no account’ award legendary assetstripper James Goldsmith a knighthood in the controversial Lavender List honours in 1976. Just months previously, Richardson approved Goldsmith becoming chairman of lender Slater Walker, which the bank had just had to bail out with £110m. What had Jimmy done to change his mind? Southend Airport owner Stobart Group’s AGM today should be a lively affair, what with former boss Andrew tinkler hoping to oust chairman Iain Ferguson. It is at the company’s headquarters in Guernsey, which is a nuisance for shareholders who’ll have to take a plane to the taxfriendly Channel Island. Ironically, Southend doesn’t run a single flight to Guernsey.