Lord Jones: voice of business in government
Former CBI chief vows to be ‘eyes and ears’ for prime minister in corporate world
Lord Jones, the newly appointed minister for trade, has promised to be the
voice of business in government, with a direct line to the prime minister Gordon
Brown.
He told MPs yesterday his decision to join the government was a ‘slam dunk’,
despite his attacks on government policy as head of the CBI in the past.
‘I can act as the eyes and ears for the prime minister and all of the
government in the business communities, both at home and overseas,’ he said
during his first appearance as a minister in front of the Commons trade and
industry select committee, reports the
Financial
Times.
When asked if he would hand back his peerage if his appointment ‘ended in
tears’, he replied: ‘Certainly not.’