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Newspapers of the International Marxist Group and its forerunners, 1968–1988

Socialist Challenge No. 58, Leyland Conspiracy Supplement, 10 August 1978

Socialist Challenge · 10 August 1978 · 4 pages, 5,008 words read by machine

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Socialist Challenge We break silence on the slush fund LEYLAND print CONSPIRACY REVEALED

What role did these men play?

Why we

not see any of these documents from British Leyland."

were the

cient, Critam Barton, at th in behalf of b

ad Ryder Teller forgery t

lich ended at the Oid Ba this weck.

Howard's observation was, if anything, an understatement. For the past 15 months, and possibly a lot longer, leaders of

establishments in this country have rushed from Parliament to Leyland House. from polioe stations to the High Court, in an effort to stop the truth about the Leyland shush

"How the cover up fund beconting public know

lodge.

THREATS

Because lega tarcats

worked against this newspaper, Social

Be Castenge has occa part ol the silence. With the end of Barton's trial some, not all, of these Jegal threats

"The documents they bave boen removed.

During OuT investigations there have been man and this includes Labour MPs an Leyland shop stewards — who have sugpested it is better to suppressed forget the whole thing: that after all, bribery wins jobs.

But slushing cannot create Jobs because it does not generate production. Bribery

*The names they tried may lubricate the transactions

and point trade in a particular business.

Those who think that these payments create jobs use the

to hide same reasoning as those who

argue for import controls -basically a way of exporting unemployment. Bribery is thus Justified as a way of helping British industry against its foreign competitors.

ACCOUNTANTS

"Ah", comes the reply, everyone does it.* That's true, but it still does not create jobs. There i a world crisis. overproduction (particularly In the motor industry). More than затем расклапость is ассаси то get rid of that.

The only jobs creatod through the Northrop, Bocing SHE LIKEN OCOLE SCATORI put together were for accountants (and possibly lawyers).

Leyland, remember Bationaised emi. The Lanau Government could have won coormous prestige for itself and socialism by pledging cradicate bribery, that wasteful and сотгире practice HING AERACTENSIL

It did nothing of the sorr Instead those Ministers responATTORNEY-GENERAL SILKIN INDUSTRY SECRETARY VARLEY EX-INDUSTRY SECRETARY BENN sible conspired witlt others to hush up the whole affair; to hide from workins people the corruption and dirty dealings of the capitalist world. In so doing they became part of those dealings.

Tu say they are doing this to save jobs a1 Leyland is a further INSIDE: Geoff Bell investigates bypocrisy The

'SOMEONE Is desperately anxious that you should

fords of through' the loss of thousands of Jobs at Leyland in the last year — including the ciosure of the Spoke plant.

We accept no preaching on saving jobs from a Government whose policies have created the largest dolo queue since the war.

Those in the labour movement who turn a blind cyc to hribery claim there is no alternalive. They are wrong.

The fiest thing is to establish the principle of the abolition of business secrets, making Leyand's books open the workforoe. We are convinced thar that will reveal a borrible picture of incomperence vindictiveness and corruption

Contrary to what the capitalist press says, this is not because Leyland is nation alised. Quite the reverse; it's because it in a nationalised company run along capitalist lines

VETO

We don't think that Leyland or any other single company. can be transformed into an island of socialism. But it is possible to fight for a workers velo over management deci sions, to establish that we will decide who is paid what.

This would be in marked contrast to the 'participation" set up. Already. over South Africa, Leyland management has pointed out that Leyland international is not covered by the Participalion Agreement

Under the present system management could carry out any action — however criminal - withou: reference to the workers. The union leaderships in Leyland bave happily gone along with, and even encour aged, this state of affairs.

One further objection need: to be answered. Unlike others who have the documents we now print, Socialist Challenge has no qualms aboul naming those who received Leyland's

'special commissions MORALISTS

But, say the self-proclaimod moralists of Flect Street, the gentlemen concerned may face

punishment if their cames are publicised

Somebow it is all right to cound capers or sirikes. le print the addresses anti-fascists, to 'expose gays and drive them from employment, but noc to madne poopl who have benefitod from payments of up to 1:00,00085 3 consequence of knowing the night people.

If these gentlemen chose to rod Les and workers and the citizens of their own country of SETTLES pounds. then the labour movement sbould offer them no protection

It is their rules of their jungie they chose to operate by. Let Government itself has nodded tbem suffer the consequences.

Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Supplement Page 1

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ON 30 OCTOBER 1977, the Observer carried an article entitled, 'Leyland: An executive speaks his mind'. The article was sub-titled, 'A middle manager at British Leyland explodes some of the popular myths and points an accusing finger at top a frontal assault on the top bosses at Leyland, blaming them for

diversion

Details of the Leyland slush fund first became public knowledge on 19 May 1977, It was then that the Daily Mail published the first of three articles based on three reports drawn Upshin Barton and on accompany- by Leyland financial director ing documents.

The story was sensational and Leyland reacted with horror. But by the following day admissions that bribery was part and parcel Leyland's international business operations were starting to flow.

Leyland sales director Lester Suffield was quoted as saying. "Inducements are necessary in the form of repayment for services rendered, which enable you to do business that you would not otherwise have done'

CLOUD-CUCKOO

Another former Leyland executive told The Times: "In the ideal business

orld dropsy, slush money calli

hat you wil - would not exist. But Leyland does not opcrate in that sort of cloud-cuckoo land."

By 21 May, Leyland had confirmed the autbenticity of the Barton reperts, and Sur Fred person of the British Overseas Trade Board, had confirmed the wide use by British industry of slushing. He said. - In one third of our markets. bribery is a way of life'.

It seemed that all the sordid details of Leyland's slush fund would soon follow, but then Lesland had extraordinary piece of luck. Graham

"confessed' that documents were forged.

One was a letter from the Bank of

Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Supplement Page 2

THE

COVER

UP

Stage one:

of

RYDER: "didn't prove anything"

England, the atlser important was a letter purporting to come from Lord Ryder, head of the National Enterprise owns 95 per cent of Leyland's shares.

This letter was said to be addressed Alex Park, Leyland's executive; and the Secretary of State for Industry, Eric Varley, Teatured prominently in the letter's content.

The forgery confession Barton was to retract at his trial chair- allowed Leyland to avoid the issues in the Mail Mory. only tom of the 60 pages of documents which the Mail had were questioned, Leyland and then Varley though Be cature story had been discredited, Thus Sir Richard Dobson, then chairperson of Leyland, said on 25 *lus not and has not heen the policy EWD of this company to secure busitiess by corrupt means. Although certain key

management.

A couple of days after the story was printed, a jourialist at the Ohserver who had associations received a phone call. It was trom a detective sergeant ar Soocland Yard. Who, the journalist was asked, was the ELLIOT of the journalist didn't know.

Could the name he supplied, asked the detective. If it could, there would be 'something in it' for the journalist. documents on which based have proved company's name has *So far we have suggest that any paymerts bave bee made other than to the company's accredited agents or representatives. and we confidently cleared of the charges and inneendoe which have been levelled against us.. vidence of bribery or corruption

were absent in Dobson's less publi ENDLINE for reference to the "perfectly respectable faer thar Leyland was acibing woes

set by Dobson's 25 May statement Eric Varley echoed him the following day when he said, I cannot condemn too strongly the rosent attempts to undermine and more ompany's managemeni

Thus emitted the authenticit Barton reports, which spoke freely of Board, which slushing. Dobson and Varley put over

the impression that all the allegations in the Mail scory were based on a lie Socialist Challenge - which

wider Although

acted us

LEYLAND F BRIBES SCANDAL

We report Dobson's speech.

the company's problems.

The bribe was declined

with event The THE

Tbe between Leyland this charge was be tale the been Lamaged evidence to

expect to be

we have found nc

Such protestations of innocenoc

example, his

Bat the pastern of the cover-up was

the confidence of th although Leyland ha

WE'VE BEEN

CENSORED!

The article was unsigned — not surprisingly, considering it was

In a sense this episode is incidental to the story of the Leyland slush fund

cover-up which followed What it does illustrate is the extraordinary co-operation which exists

the police and British

In the case of the Leyland slush fund, this cooperation had the purpose of preventing at all costs the

ramalachs VARLEY: Ryder report is 'sub judice

emergence of the truth ahout low Leyland conducted its internationa COUSIS

And the intrigue and dirty dealin he boses at Leyland Tol leading personalities on the state

Government ministers. It is a story of

Page 3 scan of this page

try the

accused

PARK: investigate themselves"

Before Graham Barton 'confessed" to the forgeries, Leyland had heen forced to agree to an inquir Into the Mail allegations potential embarrassment of inquiry remained.

What wouldit say about the mass of evidence on the slush fund? Would it indict Leyland or National Enterprise Hoard executives of bribery?

simply. First, the inquiry was not to was appointed by Varley; third, the

As Graham Barton's lawyer William Howard put it in a rather incredulous tone at Barton's trial, The minister appoints you to investigate allegations which include allegations against you?'

To which Ryder replied: Yes, and allegations against

Al the Barton trial details of how this inquiry, was conducted were arised from Ryder and Alex Park by William Howard. It was described as a joint NEB-Leyland investigation', and in addition to Ryder the inquir was conducica Dy a from the NEB and one from Leyland.

The three set their reference. They ruled DUT investigation into the issues raised by the alleged forgeries, and they ruled out any investigation of the payment of bribes to those other than public officials

The serious work of the team began on 23 May when five executives were interviewed. These WeTE Park, Clive Strowger David Andres and Fred Virgh: David Andrews. and Fred

In the witness box al the Roder claimed that through interviens we were uncarth every single thing we could' and that the witnesses were subject to 'intensive cross-examination fetened ar the Barton trilla HAIT Park of 23 May was given. It was describet much les dramatically hy Park as quite simply a meeting

Park alvo revealed that throughout the entire day (he live ailmesses questioned together;

Stage two:

the accused

remarkable way of cliciting the truth, considering that all five witnesses

said and not contradict them

questions :

Inquiry

executives

investigations

In other

how their company had

the Tive executives.

On this point, William Howard this Barton's lawyer

investigation,

condoning

interviewed

inthe Barton reports:

defence

Howard SIso esplain the 'contradiction

minister, with story view that Barton

Ryder shared

senior official

asked the question

did you, Lond Ryder?

Dobson, who had

trial, the determined to

• were mOst

could thereby know what cach other

According to Ryder, at the end of this meeting the five executives were acco-to go awiy and par cerein things in writing. We gave them a

Again Alex Park was somewhat more precise about this aspect of the

in the witness box. Park testified that what in fact was asked of

that they themseives should carry our further

and then submit

words, top management at Leyland was meant to examine objectively allegations abour

reports found no evidence of bribery Barton and netber did Kyder s Imal 1coort. which was based on the 'evidence" of

- concluded al the trial: What it boils down to, Lord Ryder, is that you accepted their (the national executives ) word without further

Ryder objected to this interpretation, bat he agreed that hie had not resporsible for the payments detailed

Challenge "Tus"

Howard asked

Ryder if he did not think it was 'vital"' to interview such witnesses to discover what the marients were or. Kyue of court replied: "That is calling on hindsight"

asked Ryder between the first statement by Clive Strowger, that Barton's reports were conducted

thoroughness discretion", and his later, post-Mail

could nor reports have the

Kader was unable to explain the "contradiction". Did he ask Strawger to explain it, quizzed Howurd. Ryder admitted that he had not, und agreed *I think with hindsight we should have indoed

which droue Howard le the trial. remark, "You didn't prove anyihing.

the report

He concessichi

liccessary.

SILKIN: SC documents "sub judice

call in the

law

The Ryder report landed on Eric Varley's desk in June. The following month, Varley answered a question in Parlament on the report. He said thai it would not be published because of

DTOLELEIIES against Graham

This sub judice cxcuse was to

dillercot Context SA months later when Sociulist Challenge received through the documents relating to the slush Tund.

We handed these documents to a

newspaper agreement for joint publication. The newspaper showed the documents fo Leyland and askod chem to comment

An hour belore the deadline set by the paper ran out, it and Socialist

Bab Wilson of Scotland Yard

The documents, said Wilson, were exhibits in Barton's trial, and there wis a strong probability of contemp

they were published.

Clearly, Leyland had immedialely contacled Scotland Yard on secine thie

Wilson dutifully stepped in to prevent publication

The argument over whether cither the Ryder Report or the documents were contempt ol CoUrt wa resolved. Socialist Chullenge did not

resources to light the case and face a possible fine.

Wecanalso now reveal that we had subsequent discussions with Craliam Barton, who asked us not to publish

Al the trial Barton's defene did

the relevance of the Ryder Report and the documents to

What interesting ls bow Judge Alan King Hamilton and the prosecution reactea

Barton's counsel asked for the Ryder Report and other Leyland documents to be produced in court,

prosccution resisted. In attempt to avoid the documents and

surfacing, the prosecution Jawyer Henry Pownall went so far as to say that he was willing to accept

honestly helieved that bribery existed.

lo make this and, he was conveniently able to argue that the documentary evidence to prove thai Barton honesty believed' it was not

judeo also artempted to persuade Howard not to insist on the documents and On ccasion he said it did noi matier "tw hoots' if Leyland paid bribes: another he said that the slush fond was a 'side issue

BENN: saw 1974 report

Stage three:

Defence counsel Howard resisted these pressures. Never in my many years of legal practice", he said, 'have experienced such an attitude from ENC CTOWI-

But the prosccution moved only a fraction Howard a copy of the Ryder inquiry

LOUL documents he had roqueated

When summing up. carena ta point out tout tois retasslto comply with his request was not made ain would have been British Leyland and

would have been inrolved in such a

But when the Ryder Report was eventually presented to the court, the prosecution raised objection. It was, they said, highly confidential'. This meant it would not be quoted in court, only referred to when quoting its main author, Lond Ryder,

Once again the arguing thar the public had no right of access to the secrets of Leyland

In June 1977 Varley had argued

hat the Ryder Report was sub judic

relevant io the Barton trial 1 January,

Literick Socialist Challenge's Leyland documents were sub judice — relevant to Barton's trial

At the trial itself, the prosecution which acts with the assembling evidence and under the authority of the Attorney General, had argued against the production in court of the Ryder Report and athe documents because irrelevant to che trial.

Then, when the Ryder Report was produced, the prosocution argued it was "hughly something Eric Varley had not even suggested in June 1977.

Whichever reason was offered, a1 whichever time, the consequence was the same — to stop details of the whole sush fund story from ever seeing the light of day.

Perhaps the most flagrant of all the manoeuvres was British Leyland's bid to prevent two crucial witnesses from

prearing in court at Barton's tria tine hese were Leyland sales executive Culliford and Grout.

It was they who were responsible for many of the payments detailed in Barton'steports. Towards ahe end of

while they

for two years The

of thi OLOU

Howard was

Graham

further General,

remain

authorities were

later (in 1 Tom

argued that

dealers police

they wen submitied

confidential"

BRIBES

the trial the defence summoned these

could be ascertained.

Leyland reacted with something akin to panic. They took out a counter summons to be heard at the High Court to prevent the wilmesses from heing questioned in court.

The matter was resolved: Barton's defence decided that if tbis was Leyland'sattitude then even if tbe exocutives did appear in court they were bet likely to be cooperative. TELEVISION

And the authurities may not yet have rum out of excuses for silence. When the Barton trial began, Sociulist Challenge was approsched by BBC television news. They were thinking of finshing the documents in our possession on the TV screen

A couple of days later we received a phone call from the BBC. They bad changed their mind about televising the documents. They had been told that to do so would be contempt of

The court case in question this time was the abel suite Varler and Rode had taken out against the Daily Mail.

The rerson at the BHC cold us tha in their opinion neither Varley nor

on the books, CELL documents could not be made public

attitude ministers to the whole process of the cover-up is illustrated by a number of things. First there was the resistance shown by Variey and Silkin to discussing any of the Lisues involved using different reasons al differen times for their salence.

Second, according to the Sunday Times of 5 March 1978, Scotlaod Yard received specific instructions

Many possible illegalities which might. he involved in

apart, that is, from the alleged forgerics. 1974 REPORT

The inferenot in the Sanday Times story is that these instructions came from the Attorney Ceneral's office

Third is the fact that a chief

appointed the "forgeries The policeman in question, "Tug" Wilson, agreed at the Barton trial that it was umusual for such a high-ranking officer to head such an inquiry:

Barton has said

-although Wilson denies this — that the chief superintendent told him he had been asked to get lo the bottom of the matter' by the Attorney

There are many questions which

manswered about Leyland alush fund and its cover-up, questions which can only be answered by a full and open inquiry. One such quesnon gust now tarpack doca te whole story go.

For instance, in 1974 Lord Ryder, in his role of industrial consultant to the Labour Goverment, conducted a wide ranging inquiry into British Leyland, ils structure and finance

His subsequent report was later published with certain sections omitted because of commercial confidence'. These sections included ones on purchasing arrangements' *distribution and relationships with

and distributors', and "management controls"

Just what did these sections of

Ryder's 1974 Report say? One perso

culd answer: the Secretary of Stat for todustry to whom the report was

wal Alte serena the time

Socialist Challenge

WE'VE BEEN

CENSORED!

LEYLAND FER

SCANDAL

and get sul upon!

Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Supplement Page 1

Page 4 scan of this page

documents*, said Barton during his trial.

Whatever else can be said about the | former Levand financial executive. Graham Barton can talk with authority about Leyland's 'market factor a term he defined as covering all non-standard billing arrangements or special commis

For it was Barton, under company Instructions, who drew up the three reports, which provide the major evidence of the nature and extent of the 'market factor': reports refer to widespread bribery and other illegalities.

The reports were commissioned by Barton's superior, Clive Strowger, in September 1976. At the being conducted with thoroughness and discretion

Thar is a phrase British Leyland may yet live to regret, for their only defence to the wealth of statistics and information contained in the Barton reports was that they 'unsubstantiated" and unreliable.

EXPOSURE

That is the first myth which needs to be exposed in the Leyland slush fund affair; an exposure which is not particulary anguous.

ts, Bartend appeared to have reports, Leyland appeared few doubts about his ability

First he was commissioned to write Leyland's cars division. Then he was report of the market factor" for asked to compile one which covered Leyland's bus and truck division; finally he was commissioned to write one on the company's Scammell division.

It seems odd that, if Barton was as 001 02 110001809 00 bosses have said he was, he should have been asked to compile three "private and confidential'

It also seems strange that if, as Levland claimed to Challenge in January "market factor" consists of ordinary business payments, the documents relating to the 'market factor" should have been circulated only at the very highest levels of Leyland's executive structure.

SHREDDER

Oddest of all, perhaps, is the present whereabouts Barton's working papers report, I Leyland has nothing to hide, why are these deposited in the safe of the company's secretary: or as Barton's lawyer put it.

The real case

TWENTY MILLION pounds. That is what Graham Barton says that British Leyland spent last year on its "market factor'. These figures can be confirmed by reference to Leyland

available

Issuc

EXCLUENC John admitted is authentic.

ILLEGALITY

main illegality

Board,

being exposed. were accordingly trial was the reference

in the financial year 1975/6. reports,

Socialis 1977, the question was N Festok.

LEY BENC head

contract. but had

Whether or Graham on his legitimate was

papers now

Preven from Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Sapplement Page 4

for prosecution

"if not there, in Leyland's shredder'?

Socialist Challenge

circulated within Leytand in August 1975, a document which Leyland LITTSOES

Champion crampic

That document warned that, "there should the details of transactions be exposed'. It also testified that the

problems are caused by the of these specified. transactions in the territory con

But If Leyland and their principal sharcholders, the National Enterprise

10551 CONTENTE HAYC nothing to hide, then they will not mund the delails of the transactions'

One mysterious highlight of the

in one of Barton's reports to the payment of E700,000 to a single individuai made

The recipient of this tidy sum was not named at the trial; all that was

purely made public was that the gentleman in question was the brotber-in-law of the commander of the National Guard in the country concerned. We can now reveal that the country was in faci Saudi Arabia, and the individual in

Ar the trial Lord Ryder, former

38U38.

Board, argued that the 700,000 had nothing to do with the award of the

ensured that i lunch an in naxatu SION stop the contract once it had been

not Ryder was suggesting that this made the payment

unclear trom But the executive respon still is sible for this payment was one of those whom Deyland went to court to

appearing.

Fustok's moncy was lodged in the Chase Manhattan Bank in Geneva, which suggests the contrary.

A compatriot of Fustok, a certain G Shaker, is another beneficiary recorded in Barton's cars division report. He received a mere E525,000, paidintothe United Overseas Bank in Geneva, account number E18502 V.

Both these payments came from the cars division at Leyland, but the other

are also Involved.

Barton's report on the Scammell division recorded Anne money rectved Egregun ory sat with the Egyptian Evenine account at the Union Bank Anny of Switzerland.

What services Alexane provided for this half a million pounds is mot

other tabulated by Barton offer obvious conclusions.

ASSISTANCE

For instance, Mustafa Issa reocived £30,000 for his part in a Land Rover contract with the Iraqi Government That Issa was an official of the ruling Haath party in Iraq suggests the type bl assistance he provided in securing the contract for Leyland

Most of the payments referred to in Barton's reports went to beneficiaries in the Third World HELTERE himself made this point at his trial:

sald arrangements that such practices stem

the population of a country is innately corrupt, that when in Rome..

*But there are many cases in the schedules where the people benetiting have direct links with the interests

the ElK.. und their activities are well known and approved of by the authorities of this country. They are involved in an official capacity in representing this country,"

Individual who fits this description is 67-yean-okd Beberman. According to one section of Barton's report, Heherman's. special commission' during 1975/6 totalled nearly 1200,000.

This was in connection with two contracts, one to the Belgian Army

ind one to the Luxembourg Armis This paymeet was ETECTEUL Barton a number of times during bi trial, and be left bttle doubt of opinion of its dubious nature.

Yet Beherman has on a number of occasions officially represented Britain as diplomatic functions, was also awarded an honorary CRE in

Most of Bcherman, at the time he received the

and as far as we know moncy, was head of one of Leyland's Belgian subsidiaries.

There are suggestions And | Beherman is not the only individual

sorenduri For

Shar

with direct associations with leyland who benefited from the company's "special commissions. executive Cave Sha fe add heard Barton trial that these rumours that 'company

were getting themselves the through intermediaries by numbered

bank accounts'; Similarly, there is the reference in the memo reproduced in last week's Socialist Challenge numbered bank accounts means that on occasions the corporation makes payments to unknown persons who may inchcle its own employees acing irrepularly.

Just what was all this money for? In one of the reports he Joseph Graham USELLE

words. phrase he uses. In other words, paying ruling party officials, brothers-in-law of the head of the National Guard, or woever, to secure contracts for the company.

CONTRAVENTIONS

But Barton himself stressed at his trial thar this was cot all the market

'conscious contraventions He commercial law', and in a section of

one of his reports he all, Leyland "assisting

breach local regulations with their commission accounts".

By this, what is implied is that the beneficiary that payment into a bank acoount outside

the country of his residence, usually in Switzerland. This avoided the need to pay tax on the money concerned. Not only did this deprive the country of residence of tlie tax money, it al50 deprived the country of foreign exchange.

As Such countries need for foreign exchange and underdeseloped as they usually are -they impose strict currency and commercial regulations for payments madero their residents. It ischese laws which Barton said Leyland breaking beneficiaries' payments into Swiss bank accounts.

AUTHENTIC There is little doubt chat both these illegalities forward slushing knowledee in the top circles of British Leyland. Indeed.

Barton's trial that the 'evidence" Alex Park subtitted to the Ryder inquiry' into the Mail allegations admitted the breakine of such company regula tions.

Further evidence is supplied in a letter from Leyland treasury manager

2105

Leyland duced Challenge,

personnel reads:

Field of "Ise retentions. "Internal

Treasurer drew up. arrangentents, mince subsequently Large scale slushing" is the

arrangements.

should be

prohibil

have your views?

slushing referred distributors to

memo. explained that, concerned roceived his

valuable Apart

have a great

The

Mail

source,

loged their documents

"illegalities"

as well as the straight-

Leyland,

John Champion — the letter which accompanies the document

last week's Socialist and has beer confirmed as authentic. The letter

RETENTIONS

"The attached memo from Bob

BL. Cars Taises again the • 135510

Audit prepared discussion paper in 1974, a copy of which is also attached. At the time the line divisions were asked to inform the

of all proposed but Alen agreed that could authorise such

*This is a subject on which there

La Corporate cuideline Although it would be impracticable to

arrangements involvins possible illegalities, -I believe suc arrangements should he centraily known and recorded. Can 1 please

of British Leyland management on the whole question of

and breaking cortency regulations are perhaps best summed epin a phrase Graham Barton savs he saw in yet another internal Leyland

phrase. sand Barton, The time has tor come to pay off our friends".

The evidence of has Leyland paid its friends' and who these friends were is quite literally overwhelming Of course, Graham Barton has at times confused matters RI TO KNOW

altogether from the authenticity of the alleged 'Kyder letter, he has voluntarily stated that

"adulterated" humber documents he submitted to the Duily

He did this, he said, to protect his

Needs Lesland even those which has reluctantly admitted are genuine are evidense enough of a wide range of

Twenty million pounds may be chickenfeed to some people. It is not chickenfeed to the workers of British Lesland, who have faced widespread redundancies over the last year.

They ahove all others have a right to know the fill facts of how their bosses conduct the affairs of Beitish

La right demand the opening of all Leyland's books

The ending of the Graham Harton trial should not be the end of the slush fund slory, rather the start of its more desailed and more honest retelling.

← Socialist Challenge No. 58, 10 August 1978Socialist Challenge No. 59, 17 August 1978 →

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