Jesse Norman

Guardian op-ed: Where were you, Ed?

30 September 2011

'Half-baked", "bereft of ideas", "doesn't have the X factor", "the single worst political speech I've heard in 20 years". At first glance, Ed Miliband's conference speech deserved the opprobrium which many commentators instantly heaped upon it.

Times op-ed: We don’t have to tolerate this outrageous pay

21 September 2011

Today many of our largest public companies have become so complacent, unaccountable and bureaucratic that they resemble bad governments. Outwardly they tick all the governance boxes, but the reality is that their managements barely answer to anyone. Those supposed to check on abuse and poor performance — auditors, corporate pension fund trustees — lack real independence. The result is that companies are too focused on the short term and spend too much money on rewarding their executives.

Letter to the Telegraph: High pay and growth

21 September 2011

SIR – Your leading article ("We need growth, not posturing, Mr Cable", September 20) is right to imply that boardroom salaries are not the number one priority for economic growth.  But as a member of the Treasury select committee, I would suggest that executive pay, corporate governance and economic growth are intimately connected over the longer term.

Tax Chief refuses to answer my questions on large company settlements

From Treasury Committee hearing with Dave Hartnett, Permanent Secretary at HMRC
12 September 2011

Q645  Jesse Norman: Mr Hartnett, the NAO talks about governance errors. What is a governance error? What does it mean in this case?

Dave Hartnett: A governance error is where there is a process to oversee—I think in the context of the NAO, you are thinking of settlement of an investigation—and that governance does not happen in line with our processes.