Andrew Mawson, Jane Coussins appointed "Non-Political" Peerages ...Ho,Ho.Ho.

Tony Blair, believed to be the Prime Minister has had published today , under his signature, an op-ed piece " "Keeping universities up to the mark", in the Daily Torygraph today .

It starts ..."Today, I will launch the first national scheme ..." Note that well, "I" not "The Government" for another example of the relentless use of the personal pronoun - taken at random, see his answer at PMQ's on January 31st about GP's fanstastic salaries and reproduced on the No 10 website

Mr Blair said:

"I don't always stick up for the GPs, but this time I will. There's nothing wrong with our GPs being paid the best in Europe if they're providing the best service, and I believe they are."

"I" this, "I" that . the ...er .. President has today announced 6 new "non-political nominees" to the House of Lords. Non - Political ? Ho.Ho.Ho. At least 2 more to join the claquers in the Gubments echo chamber.

Andrew Mawson OBE is Co-founder and President of the heavily self promoted Community Action Network (CAN),has been a member of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU) , he is what is known these days as a "social entrepreneur".

The PMDU is part of the Delivery and Transformation Group (DTG) in the Cabinet Office.

PMDU does this by:

* monitoring and reporting on delivery of the Prime Minister's top delivery and reform priorities
* identifying the key barriers to improvement and the action needed to strengthen delivery
* sharing knowledge about best practice in delivery and
* supporting the development of high quality PSA targets that will effectively incentivise
improvements in public services.

Which sounds like burnishing the Public Image of the President Dear Leader

Gorgeous, pouting, raven haired temptress, Ms Jean Coussins served as the Chief Executive of The Portman Group from 1996 to 2006. They say on their website that they were set up in 1989 by the UK's leading drinks producers, which together supply the majority of the alcohol sold in the UK. They are supported financially by the Home Office and Tessa Jowell Alcoholics Fan club ...

Full Members

Bacardi Brown Forman Brands

Beverage Brands (UK) Ltd
Carlsberg UK
Coors Brewers UK
Diageo Great Britain
InBev UK Ltd
Pernod Ricard UK
Scottish and Newcastle

Her role involved bringing together the alcoholic drinks industry, the government and the health sector to reduce the misuse of alcohol and promote sensible drinking. She currently sits on the Council of the Advertising Standards Authority and works as an independent consultant, advising on issues such as corporate responsibility and self-regulation.

It may be of interest to look ar The Guradian report on Tuesday January 18, 2005 - in an article by Alastair Hetherington about 24 hour drinking ...

" Martin Plant, professor of addiction studies at the University of the West of England, in Bristol, a leading authority on alcohol abuse, said yesterday that academics and health professionals were increasingly concerned at the culture department's stand.

He cited the department's role in the appointment of Jean Coussins, chief executive of the Portman Group - an organisation directly funded by the liquor industry to promote "responsible drinking" - to the Alcohol Education and Research Council, a quango. "We were appalled and horrified by this," he said.

The department said last night that, as part of its statute, the research council had to include industry representatives.

"We did not get a nomination from the industry so Jean Coussins was appointed. She is not part of the industry, but head of a body which oversees the industry."

Ms Coussins acknowledged objections to her appointment had been made in the specialist magazine, Addiction. "The important point is that the Portman Group does not sit on the council, an individual called Jean Coussins does," she said." Yeah, Yeah ... "We did not get a nomination from the industry."

She is also a member of the Better Regulation Commission announced by the Gubment in the 2005 Budget to, " provide independent advice to government, from business and other external stakeholders, about new regulatory proposals and about the Government's overall regulatory performance."