Executive Pay Debate

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Executive Pay

Jason McCartney Excerpts
Monday 23rd January 2012

(12 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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This argument has been rehearsed many times. The then Chancellor of the Exchequer, who introduced the bonus tax, made it clear that it was a one-off measure and that, if it were continued, banks would simply avoid it by converting bonuses into consolidated pay. It was a good idea at the time. It worked for a year, and we now have a much more effective and credible way of taxing banks.

Jason McCartney Portrait Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)
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Rewards for failure: the old boss at ITV, where I used to be the trade union representative, slashed jobs, made a succession of poor business decisions and brought the company to its knees while picking up millions in pay, perks, bonuses and share options. Is my right hon. Friend surprised that the Leader of the Opposition has rewarded that failure with a key role in restructuring the Labour party?

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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I have not followed those developments, but perhaps I should retract some of the complimentary things I said about the Leader of the Opposition.