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About this episode

* ECGD - FIRD WHIRL BAY LIF o They underwrite British business. If you're exportin to nother country and they default, the British taxpayer (you, me, Ken Dodd, etc.) cough for it and they put it on their national debt. o It's estimated that about 95% of 3rd world debt owed to Britain comes from the ECGD. o This year, Saudi Arabia has received a billion pounds worth of goods (all military), Brunei has received 0.6 million pounds worth (all military) underwritten by the ECGD. Anyone see a pattern here? o Some of the top consumers of ECGD this year are Indonesia, Turkey, China... anyone see that link yet? o Mark phones up the chief press officer, Robin Ogleby. o MT: "It's Mark Thomas here" o RO: "We've met, we've done gigs together" o RO: "I used to play in a band" o MT: "What Band" o RO: "The Happy End" o MT: "What the 22 piece Marxist Jazz band?" o RO" "Yes" o The band's song titles included + There's nothing quite like money (Kurt Weil) + The East is Red + On Suicide + Solidarity Song + Singing of the Socialist Motherland + Song of the Lower Classes o RO: "We've been doing a lot of Airbuses recent, lots of civilian stuff' o MT: "Much military?" o RO: "Not really." o In the House of Commons Library it says that 51% of the 3 Billion underwritten by the ECGD is military. Higher than it ever was under the Tories. o RO: "Oh is it as much as that?" o MT: "Well you're the fucking press officer, mate!" o MT: "Why do you keep flogging this stuff to dictators?" o RO: "Well the thing is Mark, dictators rarely default" o But what about Indonesia who defaulted on Hawk jets, what about Saddam Hussain? We sold £70 million pounds worth of stuff to him which he defaulted on and we (The taxpayer) ended up paying for. We not only Armed Saddam but we paid for it as well! o RO: "Yes we're quite angry with Saddam Hussain." o The IMF has stated that arms exports using export credits should cease. This is like Pol Pot saying "Hitler went too far". o Currently ECGD breaks even, in a couple of years they estimate £833 million in debt. So Mark tries to get some credit and phones up HSBC bank. o Says they have bit of money left over from the show's budget and are hoping to do a deal with Brazil. An Airbus fitted out with crop spraying equipment. Asks for a 3 million loan. o Then try Nat West trying to get a £5 million loan on a new type of bus with three decks for Mexico City, smaller deck on top for toddlers. Nearly got it! o If you try and find out information about the ECGD deals there is nothing available. o Decide to have a go at Stephen Byers of the DTI at the LSE New Statesman Annual Conference on 8 September 1999 who was speaking about the importance of the Internet and access to information. o Comes to question time at the end, MT gets the microphone and asks a question about the ECGD underwriting of the construction of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey and the fact that the report is being suppressed and won't be made public until after the contract is signed. o Byers says they are going to release the environmental impact assessment at the same time as we make our decision as whether we are going to underwrite it. o Mark grabs him as he comes off stage and he agrees to talk on camera about it. o Get all the facts and send them to his aide in the DTI asking questions about who sells what arms to what countries, how much they have defaulted on, meeting minutes, discussion papers, etc. They phone back and say "no problem". o After much prevarication nothing is forthcoming. Beyers has twice arranged interview dates and then cancelled. o Phone up RO again. As you were so upset with Saddam, they decide to help. o Get a skip lorry full of scrap metal from Iraq (about 70 quids worth) o Phone David Hannah, Parliamentary and Assistant Press Officer ECGD and offer it to them to help write off the debt. o Take the lorry round to the ECGD and try and leave it with them. o Police turn up pretty sharpishly and tell them the lorry is illegally parked so they have to move it on. o Next try the treasury who tell them to fuck off. o Then on to the DTI to ask how the interview with Stephen Byers is coming on, no joy. o Next day, fax arrives from RO, apologising for missing Mark the previous day. o "Sorry I missed you this morning mate. Your scrap metal wheeze was very funny - you should be a comedian. The offer to help reduce the Iraqi debt was a kind one - but have you got written authority from Saddam to act on his behalf? All the very best, Robin Ogleby." o Thursday afternoon phoned up and asked for a copy of the advisory councils member's interests. o They fax over a list of all the directorships. Stupidly went down to companies house and checked there to see if the information matched. Really stupid thing as we now have a shitload of work to do. o 5 out of the 11 committee members have factually incorrect information down. + Lesley Knox, The British Linen Bank - 12 undisclosed directorships + Peter Mason, Amec PLC - Undisclosed directorship + Alan Brown, Barclays Capital - Incorrect job description + David Harrison, Lloyds TSB - Incorrect number of directorships + Dr Arnab Banerji - Foreign & Colonial Emerging Markets Ltd - Incorrect directorships. o Mark phones Lesley Knox live on the show (well, live at the recording) o She claims she sent a list of the directorships to the ECGD but can't remember when o Mark gets "The hat of non-conflict of interests" and tries to visit these people. o First stop Nick Tennant, Media Relations Manager, Thames Water plc. o Go back to the ECGD and present the facts (this time without the skip) and get surrounded by security guards who refuse to let them in. o Phone up to try and get a comment, but no response. o Mark goes to the DTI and they agree to take a copy but again security refuse to let them in. o Still no interview with Byers. Called him at home, no answer but hen got a ring-back call from his partner who takes a long time to tell them he's not in. o Mark calls him from the show and the phone is hung up immediately at the other end. o Consultation process is extended by a few days and they invite people to phone in and comment on the plan. Mark gives out the number of the ECGD helpline.

• Release Date

  Jan 31, 2010

• Runtime

  25:02