"new elite" in UK

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Wealthy individuals and corporations no longer need representatives
in Parliament or government to safeguard their interests and swing
votes. A few rich men sit in the Commons, including Archie Norman, the
former chairman of Asda supermarkets, and Michael Ancram, heir to the
Marquess of Lothian, while the billionaire Lord Sainsbury of Turville
(below) is Minister for Science. Yet most can rely on lobbyists and
pressure groups to push their cases for reduced taxation, regulation
or planning restrictions, while multinational firms hardly need to
make the point that if they are not granted special terms they can
take their money out of Britain.

New Labour is especially mindful of the need to oblige rich
individuals as donors. The explosion of personal fortunes has made all
parties more dependent on a handful of individuals than on company
donations. "

>From a rather impressionistic article in today's Observer by Anthony
Sampson, who wrote "Anatomy of Britain" 40 years ago. This chunk is
one of the places where he gets nearer to the new
material relationship between global finance capitalism, the modern
elite intelligentsia, and the ideological state apparatuses which are
transcending the nation state.

It suggests why capitalism in Britain can live comfortably with New
Labour, whose focus groups can finesse Parliamentary debate.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/story/0,6761,1179373,00.html


Chris Burford