Tag Archives: shareholders

Opinion on Nick Clegg’s speech today: Employee share ownership is classic liberalism

By Tom Frostick | Mon 16th January 2012 - 2:24 pm

Last week David Cameron and Ed Miliband both sounded their commitment to tackling excessive payouts in the financial sector. Today was Nick Clegg’s turn. The speech he delivered to CentreForum and the City of London this morning was all about ‘responsible capitalism’ and ‘unlocking shareholder power’.

He talked about vested interests in the British economy and the need to shine a light on boardroom practices. He also expressed a desire to see wider employee share ownership – trust in people, rather than the “interventionist state” – and the move towards a “John Lewis economy”. Clegg said:

recognise that narrowing wage

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged economy | 26 Comments

Clegg sets out vision of “John Lewis economy”

By NewsHound | Mon 16th January 2012 - 11:36 am

The BBC reports:

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has urged more companies to offer shares to their employees, saying it will improve productivity and unlock growth.

He told an audience in the City that the government planned to cut red tape, and reform the tax system to accommodate employee ownership.

It is hoped the measures will create what he called a “John Lewis economy”.

…The Lib Dem leader told the event hosted by the City of London Corporation and Centre Forum think tank: “We don’t believe our problem is too much capitalism – we think it’s that too few people

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Posted in News | Also tagged economy and nick clegg | 4 Comments

Opinion: Call-me-Dave is right – let the real owners decide company policies

By Jonathan Hunt | Fri 13th January 2012 - 11:30 am

Jonathan Hunt argues that the time has come for Democratic Capitalism

When David Cameron calls for shareholders to make decisions about pay and other issues in the companies they are listed as ‘owning’ he was not, of course, talking about the real owners.

Since World War Two, the 80:20 rule has been more than reversed. In the 1940s, getting on for 80 per cent of shares were owned by individuals. Today, that proportion is a less than 20 per cent. The shares are held in the names of pension funds, fund managers, insurance companies and other parasitical institutions.

The people who run them …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged industrial democracy | 11 Comments