Cameron criticises Johnson and May over aid cuts and security oversight
March 2, 2021, 12:34 pm

Cameron criticises Johnson and May over aid cuts and security oversight

David Cameron in 2019. He said on Monday he was not considering a political return: ‘Thinking about Donald Trump making a comeback is enough to keep us all spinning over.

David Cameron has criticised Boris Johnson’s aid cuts and abolition of the Department for International Development, and accused Theresa May of making a “very bad mistake” in merging key cabinet and security roles.

The former prime minister’s criticism of his successors came as he made a rare (virtual) return to parliament, where he told the joint committee on national security strategy (JCNSS) on Monday that he was “sure there will be a big inquiry” into the handling of the Covid pandemic.

Cameron also eagerly mounted a defence of his own much-criticised decision to call the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, and appeared keen to reject suggestions that he had rushed into it, after he was asked whether the move had been part of an overall national strategy.

“It is not as if this was something that was thought up and popped in a manifesto,” he said by video link from his home. “It was properly thought through, discussed, argued, debated, voted on in parliament, put in a manifesto, a government was formed on the basis of that manifesto … I sometimes read about it as if people think it was a sort of afterthought.

“I think it was January 2013, the announcement of holding a referendum before the halfway point of the next parliament was made.”

Appearing as part of the JCNSS inquiry into Britain’s national security machinery, Cameron was particularly critical of May’s decision to merge the role of cabinet secretary and national security adviser. Sir Mark Sedwill held what Cameron described as “two jobs” during May’s tenure.

“For one person, even if you were a cross of Einstein, Wittgenstein and Mother Teresa, you couldn’t possibly do both jobs, and I think that temporarily weakened the national security council,” Cameron told the committee.

On Johnson’s decision to scrap the international development department, Cameron said: “I think abolishing DfID is a mistake too for all sorts of reasons, but one of which is actually having the Foreign Office voice around the table and the DfID voice around the table I think is important – they are not necessarily the same thing.

“Can you really expect the foreign secretary to do all of the diplomatic stuff and be able to speak to the development brief as well? That’s quite a task, so I think it is good to have both.

He also repeated his criticism of the government’s announcement last year that it would renege on a commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on official development assistance.

Earlier, Cameron said he believed “a big mistake” had been made by British governments in terms of focusing preparedness for future pandemics on influenza rather than a virus like Covid-19.

“I am sure there will be a big inquiry. There was a pretty big flu pandemic plan but it was a flu plan,” said Cameron, who added that there had also been a “global virus surveillance unit” but he wasn’t sure what had happened to it after he left office.

He recalled what he described as the slow response of the World Health Organization (WHO) to the outbreak of Ebola in west Africa in 2014, when the national infrastructures of states such as the UK, US and France had then “steamed in”.

He agreed that more should have been learned from outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome, caused by the Sars coronavirus.

The SNP MP Angus MacNeil asked Cameron if he ever thought about a comeback, noting that Donald Trump had been talking about standing again for US president.

Cameron ruled the idea out. “Thinking about Donald Trump making a comeback is enough to keep us all spinning over,” he said, adding that he was busy enough working on initiatives in the fields of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

source: Ben Quinn

Levant

Post-Brexit deals must not compromise UK food standards, says trade body Labour indicates it would back gradual rise in corporation tax

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.