Former Labour Ministers fixing things for who exactly?

In the late 199O's I got the chance to see Stephen Byers and Patricia Hewitt first hand breaking up of a well established Science Research Council facility at Daresbury in the North West of England for apparent political advantage, when they decided to relocate the Diamond project to a Labour marginal seat in Oxfordshire.

At the time they firstly blamed it on partners Wellcome Foundation who apparently had a preference for the convenience of the M4 Corridor. Then when Wellcome said that they had no real preference they then blamed the French Science Ministry who were a potential research partner for expressing an interest for the project to be close to Heathrow for their speed of access.

Interestingly the French Science Minister refuted that saying that his scientists were more than happy to fly into either Liverpool Airport (25 minutes from the Laboratory) or Manchester Airport (18 minutes from Daresbury). Byers had his way and despite local protests the Diamond Light Source is now at Harwell.

He has previous according to the Tyneside based News Guardian

"It is not the first time Stephen Byers has been caught up in controversy.


* Mr Byers was heavily criticised for his part in the 2005 collapse for MG Rover, at an extensive cost to the UK tax payer, following the deal he advocated in 2000, with the Phoenix Consortium.

* In 2001, he angered investors by taking a short notice decision to put Railtrack into administration, leading to the re-nationalisation of Britain's railways.

* Around the same time it was revealed that Byers' political advisor Jo Moore had sent an email, on September 11 2001, suggesting that the terrorist attacks made it "a very good day to bury bad news".

* The following February, a leaked email from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions's head of news , Martin Sixsmith, allegedly warned Ms Moore not to "bury" any bad news on the day of Princess Margaret's funeral, implying that she was intending to do so. Both resigned, but Sixsmith later said he had not agreed to go, and in May 2002, it was announced that Byers had announced his resignation prematurely, although he denied any wrongdoing.

* In 2006 Byers controversially suggested Gordon Brown should scrap inheritance tax in order to appeal to 'Middle England'.

* And during the recent expenses scandal, it was reported that Byers had claimed more than £125,000 in second home allowances for a London flat owned by his partner, where he lives rent-free. Allegedly included in his expenses claims was £27,000 for redecoration, maintenance and appliances for this property."

A class act, I don't think.

In my case I was so disgusted about the way that Byers & Hewitt acted over Diamond that when the chance arose to become more politically active I did.