David James, Baron James of Blackheath

David Noel James, Baron James of Blackheath CBE (born 7 December 1937) is a British businessman and corporate troubleshooter and Conservative life peer.

Career

James has had a varied career in the city of London. Between 1959 and 1964, he trained with Lloyds Bank, joining Ford Credit's launch team in 1964. He then became a director of many companies, often in trouble, to assist their recovery: in 1973 he joined Cork Gulley to rescue Cedar Holdings; in 1989 he was appointed chairman of Eagle Trust; other directorships have included British Shoe Corporation, LEP group, Dan-Air, North Sea Assets and Central & Sheerwood. During his time at Eagle Trust he triggered the Iraqi supergun affair. Whilst visiting Eagle-owned Walter Somers factory in Halesowen in 1990, he noticed the muzzle of what appeared to be a large gun. He informed MI6, giving them one of their first leads.[1] He served a term under David Rowland on the Council of Lloyd's and chaired a committee which controversially allowed corporate capital to underwrite on more favourable terms.

In late 2000, James was appointed as chairman of the ailing Millennium Dome project, a high profile position, and was credited with saving the attraction from financial collapse. In 2005 he attempted to make a bid for troubled carmakers MG Rover.[2]

Ahead of the 2005 general election, James conducted a review for the Conservatives that identified £35 billion of state sector savings. The disputed figures were heavily used by then Party leader, Michael Howard. After the election defeat, Howard and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne appointed James to head a new Conservative watchdog to monitor the way the third term Labour administration delivers on its promises to cut costs. He has been vocal about his concerns for the financial management of the London 2012 Olympics.

In April 2006 it was announced that James had been nominated for a Life Peerage by the Conservative Party[3] The news had already been revealed in a list leaked to The Times[4] that eventually led to the Cash for Peerages scandal. James himself had given a relatively small amount to the Conservatives. He was created Baron James of Blackheath, of Wildbrooks in the County of West Sussex on 9 June 2006.[5]

In November 2010 Lord James claimed in the House of Lords that he had been approached by a secretive "megarich" organisation, which James referred to only as 'Foundation X', willing to lend billions of pounds, interest-free, to the UK government.[6]

He has worked as a Consultant for Cerberus Capital Management.[7]

Lord James is married to a woman from Leeds but has no children. He has a particular interest in music and cricket. He is Chairman of the British Racing Club of horses.

"Foundation X" speech

James attracted some press and blog attention after a speech in the House of Lords on 1 November 2010, in which he claimed to have been approached by an unnamed organisation wishing to fund massive public works projects in the UK with vast currency reserves backed by gold bullion.[8][9] A Labour Party staff member and political blogger who wrote about the story[10] speculated that the organisation in question is the Office of International Treasury Control.[11] possibly an organisation though unknown or unacknowledged by any government to date. However, James has stated that he had not been approached by the Office of International Treasury Control, that there were no links between Foundation X and the Office of International Treasury Control,[12] that the Foundation X was a viable organisation, and that the offer was in good faith. Further, in the course of the recorded speech James uses a comparison to the "total value of the Vatican Bank Reserves" to denounce the validity of the "total amount of bullion ever taken from the earth's crust" as given by a "12-year-old issue of National Geographic" (the alleged single source for this figure), which had been used by Lord Strathclyde to dismiss the claim for the assets of Foundation X to be backed by bullion. In this speech Lord James of Blackheath neither identifies Foundation X with the Vatican or the Vatican Bank nor does he hint on any such connection.[13]

On Saturday 6 November 2010; the HM Treasury issued a statement which contradicted James' earlier claims; denying that any meeting took place between Lord James and Treasury commercial secretary Lord Sassoon and a representative of the group which had been referred to as 'Foundation-X'.[14]

"Fed Fraud" speech

James attracted some press[15][16] and blog[17] attention after another speech in the House of Lords on 16 February 2012, in which he claimed a massive $15 trillion money-laundering fraud from the United States Federal Reserve in the name of "Yohannes Riyadi" – a man who may or may not exist. James offered to provide evidence and asked for an official investigation (Hansard, transcription 16 February 2012, Column 1016, from 5.20 pm).[18]

Arms

Arms of David James, Baron James of Blackheath
Adopted
2007
Coronet
Coronet of a Baron
Crest
Statant upon a Violin Bridge Gules a Cricket Or
Escutcheon
Quarterly Or and Argent on a Cross Gules between four Trumpets in saltire bells outwards Gules banded Or a Cross quarterly Argent and Or
Supporters
On either side a Greyhound Gules gorged with a plain Collar attached thereto a Chain reflexed over the back Or holding in the mouth a Rose Argent barbed seeded slipped and leaved Or
Motto
NUMQUAM AMITTO
Symbolism
Music, cricket and greyhounds are of particular interest to the grantee. Music is represented by the violin bridge and trumpets with cricket by the cricket insect. There is a variation on St George's cross and the escallops in the Badge are the emblem of St James and hence a pun on the grantee's title.

References

  1. David James: Straight-talking at the Dome BBC News, 6 September 2000
  2. Three teams vie for Rover rescue BBC News, 15 July 2005
  3. New working life peers unveiled BBC News, 11 April 2006
  4. Sleaze row as election donors get peerages Times Online, 8 November 2005
  5. The London Gazette: no. 58011. p. 8145. 14 June 2006.
  6. Hansard, 1 November 2010. Andy McSmith, Lords stunned by Tory peer's IRA funding claim, The Independent, 6 November 2010
  7. http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/david-james/24971
  8. Lords Hansard 1 Nov 2010 : Column 1536
  9. Did somebody just try to buy the British government? Charles Stross, 3 November 2010
  10. The Lord, the cabinet minister, "Foundation X" and a mysterious £5 billion… Hopi Sen, 2 November 2010 (republished by The Guardian)
  11. Have we uncovered "Foundation X"? Hopi Sen, 3 November 2010
  12. Lord James: Foundation X not a scam Tom Espiner, 4 November 2010 15:54
  13. Lord James of Blackheath in Lords Hansard: 1 Nov 2010 Col. 1540
  14. Treasury has 'decided not to pursue' £22bn Foundation X proposal David Meyer, 6 November 2010
  15. http://etfdailynews.com/2012/02/23/the-15-trillion-dollar-money-laundering-mystery-xlf-skf-gld-slv-agq-spxu/
  16. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/diary/diary-bercow-calls-for-root-n-branch-change-on-trees-7439892.html
  17. http://www.tweaktown.com/news/22774/15_000_000_000_000_15_trillion_in_fraud_exposed_in_uk_house_of_lords/index.html
  18. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201212/ldhansrd/text/120216-0002.htm#12021643000172

External links