Osborne slams Miliband over Pfizer meeting snub
CHANCELLOR George Osborne suggested critics of the government’s position on the potential takeover of AstraZeneca by Pfizer were “putting politics above the national interest”.
Speaking at Alderley Park in Cheshire at a ceremony to mark the transfer of ownership of the site from AstraZeneca to Manchester Science Parks (MSP), he slammed Labour leader Ed Miliband for shunning a meeting with the bosses of Pfizer to discuss the US group’s proposed £63bn deal.
Opponents of the deal fear the US firm will, in time, cut British jobs and research and development if it does succeed in its bid, which has been snubbed by AZ’s board.
Mr Osborne said it was essential to communicate with the boards of both multi-nationals.
This week Labour leader Ed Miliband said the government should change the rules so it could block a pharmaceutical deal on public interest grounds – at the moment only media and defence deals can be.
The Chancellor said: “Our overriding national interest is securing good jobs and good science in Britain – manufacturing jobs and science jobs – and we will support whatever arrangement best delivers that for Britain.
“I regard it as a key part of my job to meet the management of both AstraZeneca and Pfizer. It’s a huge error of judgement for anyone who cares about British jobs to turn down a meeting with management.
“It means you are putting politics above national interest… If you’re not at the end of the phone what chance do you have of putting British jobs first?”
Aides to Mr Miliband told Pfizer’s CEO Ian Read on April 28 that the Labour leader was too busy election campaigning to have a call or a meeting to discuss the deal, which he has since pushed to the top of the agenda and accused Prime Minister David Cameron of being a “cheerleader” for the transaction, to the detriment of the national interest.
MSP acquired Alderley Park earlier this year in a deal largely funded by its major shareholder Bruntwood after AstraZeneca decided to transfer the bulk of its research and development activities to a new facility in Cambridge. As part of the deal Cheshire East Council took 10% of the site and 3% of MSP.
The 400-acre facility will focus on fostering small bio-science companies and attracting larger companies as AstraZeneca moves out over the next two years. The group plans to retain 700 staff at the site.
