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BAE AGM frustrates activist
Andrea Needham
Some years ago, the BAE AGM
was an annual free-for-all, with
dozens of token shareholders
shouting, standing on chairs,
trying to stop the meeting and
generally causing mayhem.
After a few years it started to
feel ritualistic and I began to
question the value of such tactics.
In more recent years, however,
things have got a lot quieter.
This year the focus was the
abandoned SFO enquiry into corruption in BAE's deals with Saudi
Arabia. Everyone trooped in quietly, sat quietly, asked questions
quietly, and -- so I'm told, having
left in disgust before the end --
had coffee quietly with the directors afterwards. I sat there fuming,
desperate to stand on my chair
and shout, but not having the
confidence to do it on my own (for
which I blame nobody but myself).
This company isn't selling fluffy
toys; it's making vast profits out of
death (one recent contract is to
refit the US army fighting vehicles
being used in Iraq). Why are we
being polite to these people? Why
do we think there's anything to be
gained by asking questions which
are answered by lies or obfuscation? At least when we were making a scene we were stopping, if
only for a very short time, business as usual.
Anyone for some ritual mayhem next year?
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