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Business chiefs rate Clarke (and Cowell) higher than PM
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent22 Jan 2009
BUSINESS chiefs rate Ken Clarke far higher than George Osborne or Gordon Brown, a poll found today.
Nearly four out of 10 - 38 per cent - chose the former Chancellor when asked to select from a list of people they would most want to serve on their board of directors.
This contrasted sharply with shadow Chancellor Mr Osborne and Chancellor Alistair Darling - with just two per cent of the 220 executives preferring to have their help in running their company.
Only one in 12, or eight per cent, put Mr Brown top of their list to be a director, and 15 per cent opted for Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.However, TV presenter and X Factor judge Simon Cowell beat them both, backed by 17 per cent of the bosses.
Mr Clarke's popularity may be explained in part by his having served as a director of several companies. The only other person to nudge ahead of Mr Cowell was Tory leader David Cameron, backed by 18 per cent.
The findings, in a ComRes survey for The Independent, highlight the potential huge benefits of Mr Clarke's return to the Tory frontbench as shadow business secretary.
Reader views (10)
I wouldn't trust Cowell to run my local chippy.
- Ted, London, 25/01/2009 11:00
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Well first we have politicians that seem totally out of touch with reality and with very little foresight and now our business leaders appear to have lost the plot altogether. No wonder the UK is in such a mess. It just goes to show that television has more influence than is realised. Great if its good television but! Well do I need to say more!
- Pedro, Dubai UAE, 24/01/2009 13:04
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I won't like to be rated by the chief executives. Where were they when the economy was going bust. I guess they are responsible for that. Ken is the chair or have been the chair of some of this so call chief executives company as such am not surprised by their findings. Nontheless, i prefer Ken than David Cameleon.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney London, 23/01/2009 10:49
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My cat is shrewder than Brown and his Banana Republic.
- Paul, bolton uk, 22/01/2009 17:15
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Ken is a money man who loves music. Cowell is a music man who loves money. Ken tried hard to build the economy while playing his trumpet. Cowell is trying hard to destroy the British music scene while making a load of money.
- Alex C, London, 22/01/2009 14:31
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I would rate Mickey Mouse higher than Brown or Darling
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 22/01/2009 13:57
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I think this example of poor judgment by business chiefs helps to explain why we are in economic meltdown.
- Mick, London, England, 22/01/2009 13:45
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Not just business chiefs. Have you looked at the international foreign exchange rates recently?
- Steveo, London, 22/01/2009 12:47
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How anybody could rate the "PM" on anything I fail to see so no news to me.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 22/01/2009 12:39
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My dog is shrewder than Calamity Brown.
- Keith Price, Luton, 22/01/2009 12:01
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