When the Government proposed a tax on supermarket car parking spaces, which would have cost Tesco millions, they brought in the 'Lobbygate' company LLM, run by former advisers to Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jack Straw. LLM advised Tesco to change their approach (by playing off a contribution to community transport against paying the tax) and sponsor the Dome. The tax was dropped in July 1998, in circumstances that The Observer's undercover journalist Greg Palast described as 'they were able to get out of [the] tax by a fix that LLM made, which saved them £40 million a year.'
Terry Leahy, the Chief Executive of Tesco, was paid £1,173,000 in 2000 and £901,000 in 1999. He sits on the Government's Competitiveness Advisory Group, the DTI's Competitiveness Working Party on Making the Most of the Information Age and the South East Regional Competitiveness Working Party.
Michael Wemms, the Retail Director of Tesco, was paid £801,000 in 2000 and £658,000 in 1999. He made £479,000 from share options in 2000 and £232,000 in 1999. He sits on the Government's New Deal Task Force.
Mike Raycraft, Property Services Director at Tesco, is a member of the Construction Task Force. John Melbourn, Deputy Chairman of 3i, is a Non-Executive Director of Tesco (on a salary of £38,000). He sits on the Government's Task Force on Increasing Business Investment with Lord Hollick and Sir David Barnes.
Lesley James, the former Human Resources Director of Tesco (she retired in April 1999) sits on the University for Industry Design and Implementation Advisory Group, alongside David Brown of Motorola and Cob Stenham of Telewest. Lesley James retired at the age of 50, with a £258,000 early retirement payout (making her yearly salary £303,000 in 2000). She was paid £427,000 in 1999 and made £466,000 in share options. Her annual pension from Tesco is £82,000.
Charles Allen of Granada is paid £35,000 as a Non-Executive Director of Tesco.