An increasing number of householders being chased for the TV license fee are using a legal loophole to prevent “enforcement officers” – actually staff of private firm Capita with no legal right to enter homes or search property without permission – from calling on them.

The legal process is “withdrawing implied right of access” to a householder’s frond doorstep, something any householder can do, thus making enforcement officers trespassers if they continue to visit.

It is, unusually, a criminal offence to fail to pay the TV licence and this is an unwarranted status likely to be altered by an overdue Act of Parliament next year.

Ofcom has upheld complaints from viewers that Channel 4 quiz show Countdown breached broadcasting rules by plugging products on air.

Countdown host Nick Hewer, 72, who is a former public relations consultant and more recently scrutiniser of young business hopefuls on The Apprentice TV reality show gave the upcoming Ideal Home Exhibition some “heavy promotion” that left some viewers wondering if he had been paid for it. And a guest on the same show, former British swimmer Mark Foster talked about his (paid for?) position as Ambassador for P&O Cruises before heavily promoting them. Continue reading →

More processed foods have been found to contain high levels of salt and/or fat, according to a study by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH).

More than 200 chilled dips sold in supermarkets were tested, including houmous, taramasalata, salsa and guacamole. Houmous has a high calorie count of 280 per 100gm, and the tastiest products, caramelised onion houmous from Marks and Spencer and Tesco contained more salt per 100gm than four packs of ready-salted crisps. A portion of Waitrose cheese and chive dip contained more fat than a McDonald’s Big Mac.

Marketing Matters has received emails promoting home-working for a salary of $2,500-$5,000 from “the personnel manager of a large International company”.

So far this person calls themselves, in identical emails, “Michael Blevins”. Or “Malcolm” Or “Jesse” Or Nathaniel” Or “Dionne Valencia”.

Anybody else got any names to add?

Sir Philip Green has been awarded the government’s prestigious UFOC award for business activities, the Unacceptable Face Of Capitalism.

To win this Green had to unselfishly remove millions for the BHS pension fund and use it to buy himself another luxury yacht.

Previous winners have been Tiny Rowland and Robert Maxwell. Thought to be runner-up this year was Mike Ashley of Sports Direct, who has coincidentally expressed an interest in buying bits of BHS from the administrator.