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Conservative MP Mark Field |
City fan Field calls
full-time on
self-regulation in soccer
IS Mark Field experiencing a mid-life crisis? Or has the Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster learned a lesson or two from the collapse of the financial market?
Mr Field urged the government in a Commons debate on Monday – his 44th birthday – to introduce regulation of one of the greediest of financial markets: football.
With oligarchs, dictators and oil barons swapping clubs like Top Trumps, he warned Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe against self-regulation in football.
He told the House: “I appreciate that the minister is a hard-working and committed football fan, but I think his sense that football can get on and regulate itself is somewhat far from the mark. There is great concern that football needs to get its house in order, particularly given the amount of public money that has gone into the game over the past decade and a half and the fact that we also wish to host the World Cup.”
Mr Sutcliffe, somewhat taken aback by the pot calling the kettle black, said: “It is quite interesting to hear from Conservative members suggestions that we look at more regulation.”
In an interview on the Conservative website in August last year, Mr Field heaped high praise on self-regulation in the City. He said: “One of the main reasons for the re-emergence of London as a truly international financial centre in recent decades has been the burden of regulation in New York. The lesson is plain: we need to keep a constant eye on regulation... and ensure that the regime in the City of London is not undercut by any of our global rivals.”
And in January this year, Mr Field warned a Commons finance debate: “Given the strangulating effect of ever more obtrusive regulation on public companies, it is of little surprise that many companies have chosen to go down the private equity route.
“There has been too much regulation. We are living in a globalised world, for which we should rejoice.”
Not much rejoicing this week, however, as the wonder of living in a globalised world dominated by unregulated greed becomes increasingly apparent.
Rediscovered art up for auction
A GREEK masterpiece that survived German bombing in the Second World War and was then mysteriously lost for decades will be sold at auction next month.
The Painter’s Family by Dimitrios Galanis (1890-1966) has not been seen in public for 80 years and is expected to fetch around £300,000 when it goes under the hammer at Bonhams.
The monumental work – the flagship of Galanis’ oeuvre and one of the most important works in the history of Greek art – was last exhibited in Paris in 1928 alongside paintings by Picasso.
After surviving the 1941 and 1944 Piraeus bombings and the German occupation, it was lost before being rediscovered at the Stringos mansion in Kifissia.
Bonham’s sale of Greek Art is on November 10 at the auction house in New Bond Street.
Come dancing with the doc!
THE “talking cure” of psychotherapists is well documented; the singing and dancing cure less so.
Brett Kahr, however, might be about to change all that.
The world-renowned psychotherapist of Bloomsbury’s Tavistock Clinic has penned the music and lyrics for new musical Rue Magique, which premieres at the King’s Head Theatre in Islington next week.
The production, about a London prostitute who forces her 13-year-old daughter into prostitution, is not entirely a departure for Mr Kahr – he is one of the leading authorities on mother-daughter relationships.
A very early draft was even performed for the Prince of Wales in 1999.
Market dogs have their day!
AL Pacino was nowhere to be seen but there were a lot of pampered pooches at Marylebone’s first Dog Day Afternoon.
Coiffured chihuahuas, luxuriant labradors and pristine poodles vyed for top prizes including best dressed dog and waggiest tail at the Cabbages and Frocks lifestyle market in the grounds of St Marylebone Church on Saturday.
Proud owners shopped for the finest in bespoke dog collars, yapping dogs were made obedient in special classes and appetites were satisfied with the finest canine cuisine.
The talent spotters were out in force to scoop up the next Andrex star – something not to be sniffed at with some pets commanding five-figure appearance fees. |
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