Gordon Brown will risk the wrath of the unions by appointing Damon Buffini, the private equity chief, to a new "Business Council for Britain" advising government on all policies affecting business.
The new prime minister hopes the council will help to inject private sector expertise into areas such as skills and business support reforms. Mr Brown also wants to use it further to depoliticise aspects of state spending on industry, such as the relative funding for different sectors. "It will be able to look at, adjudicate upon and inquire into the policies that we are pursuing," Mr Brown said.
