Irishman takes on British Business wrongs

[factual]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...7/ccoft127.xml

Fascinating story in todays British press. The head of the British Office of Fair Trading John Fingleton is the former head of the Irish Competition Authority. He has revolutionised competition policy in Britain.

In recent months his ogranisation has taken on catels in

milk supply
supermarket supply of cigarettes
builders bidding for major construction contracts
banking charges

and today

OFT in new supermarket crackdown (price collusion on a range of health, beauty and grocery products)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7369838.stm

See Robert Peston's blog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereport...ded_again.html

It seems that it takes an Irishman to take on the cartels and croneyism in British business.

[factual]

Who was it (in the Dail) who highlighted the Construction Industry Federation's cartel-like prectices; ie drip-feeding the housing market to stall the price drop ?
Maybe we'd better get him back

Good point. Maybe we need to improve our competition law however to enable this type of anti caretel activism?

[Thac0man]

It is sort of ironic that an Irishman is in Englind highlighting these practices when British businesses are operating the same cartel practices in Ireland. I know for a fact that Aldi have been dogged at every turn by a cartel of British retail interests using planning objections to stimy their development (and hence competition) in this country.

Come back John Fingleton, all is forgiven!