Two companies resisting the Government’s proposed windfall tax said
this week they would not be hiring lobbying agencies as part of their
campaign to avoid the levy on privatised utilities.
Airports operator BAA, which has sought legal advice on the tax, is
limiting activity to exchanging basic information with Government
officials.
’There’s virtually no lobbying going on,’ said BAA director of corporate
and public affairs, Des Wilson.’The Chancellor always made it clear
Labour wouldn’t be open to individual lobbying. This isn’t an issue
where we believe there’s a lot of lobbying necessary.’
BT also said this week it has not appointed an agency to lobby against
the tax.
’At the moment there’s nothing to lobby against, we have not been named
as one of the companies to be subjected to windfall tax,’ said a
spokesman.
BT, which has threatened legal action, will re-consider hiring lobbyists
if it is named in the summer budget as one of the utilities to be taxed.
