Local councillors and Terrapin Communications

I wasn't going to say this as I'm loathe to criticise someone's choice of employer for their first job. I did however think it was a bit off that Adam Jogee was working as a researcher for Terrapin Communications. Why did I think this was off? Well, their list of clients included the three firms currently bidding to run a large part of the council'sour land in a 20 year "partnership" deal. I asked around and was told that he was a good boy and was being responsible about it. He's now the Majority Chief Whip.

So then I come across THIS POST on OpinioN8 which is Crouch End's version of HoL. There it states that

Councillor Kober has dined six times at Terrapin's expense, once in Cannes. Detail on the lunches decreases over time.

Councillor Strickland was also at this dinner in Cannes and has dined at Terrapin's expense another four times.

Councillor Jason Arthur - twice, recently, with Peter Bingle and again with another partner, Christian Klapp.

Go see the post on OpinioN8, click on the links. See for yourself. Adam was a just graduated student when he became a Labour councillor, now he's a researcher for perhaps the country's best known Tory lobbyist.

Martin Ball pointed some of this out to us about 18 months ago and we were all a bit meh. Presumably we consider it slightly off to worry about who pays for someone else's lunch. However, Terrapin's client list should give us cause for concern given what is also happening with Hornsey Town Hall. Have we been duped here?