HANSOM COMMUNITY SPIRITED

摘要

Climate of suspicion Greg Barker, the climate change minister, has a rather extensive entry in the MPs' register of members' interests. One curious donation is £18,000 worth of "research assistance" from the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, between January and February 2010, when Barker was shadow climate change minister. This is the same association that, in June 2009, wrote to the government warning that the carbon reduction commitment: "disadvantages private equity-owned companies". There's no suggestion this changed any policy, but should the minister be taking hefty donations from an organisation lobbying right on his patch?