Lesson from Mali

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/22/lesson-from-mali-investment

Version 0 of 1.

In your report of prime minister's questions (Cameron's crack at Labour's liaisons, 21 November), Michael White refers to the question I asked the prime minister and opines that I "had read somewhere that UK business investment lagged behind Mali and Paraguay. If you can believe that, you can believe anything. Meacher does. Cameron's contempt was understandable". The source I had quoted was the Economist. On 6 July it ran an article headed: "Britain's economy: Let's try to catch up with Mali: Why being 159th-best at investment is no way for a country to sustain a recovery." The magazine also appended a table showing British investment levels just behind Mali, Paraguay and Guatemala, exactly as I had stated. Politicians have a lot to answer for in making PMQs no longer fit for purpose in its present form, but sketch-writers carry responsibility too by obsessing on the trivial and the personal.<br /><strong>Michael Meacher MP</strong><br /><em>Labour, Oldham West </em>

Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.