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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Sir Alan hired in government role | Sir Alan hired in government role |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Multi-millionaire businessman Sir Alan Sugar has been made enterprise tsar in Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle. | |
| Sir Alan is set to be nominated for a seat in the House of Lords in order to allow him to join the government. | |
| Having made his fortune through television set-top box maker Amstrad, his profile has rocketed through his starring role in BBC's The Apprentice. | Having made his fortune through television set-top box maker Amstrad, his profile has rocketed through his starring role in BBC's The Apprentice. |
| Famed for his "You're Fired" catchphrase, Sir Alan said that the prime minister should stay in his job. | Famed for his "You're Fired" catchphrase, Sir Alan said that the prime minister should stay in his job. |
| Brown backing | Brown backing |
| There are always people, not only in politics but in business, that don't agree with certain things Sir Alan Sugar | There are always people, not only in politics but in business, that don't agree with certain things Sir Alan Sugar |
| "A lot has gone on in the past few weeks, and he is resolute in his position and is going to see out his governance and, I think, quite rightly so," he said. | "A lot has gone on in the past few weeks, and he is resolute in his position and is going to see out his governance and, I think, quite rightly so," he said. |
| "We need to get the economy moving again and, as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't have a better person to do that because of his background as a chancellor. | "We need to get the economy moving again and, as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't have a better person to do that because of his background as a chancellor. |
| "Having had the pleasure of meeting past prime ministers I can tell you, for what it's worth, that this fellow should stay in place. | "Having had the pleasure of meeting past prime ministers I can tell you, for what it's worth, that this fellow should stay in place. |
| Sir Alan and the prime minister are long-standing friends | Sir Alan and the prime minister are long-standing friends |
| "What needs to be sorted out is the economic climate, small businesses and other enterprises." | "What needs to be sorted out is the economic climate, small businesses and other enterprises." |
| He will work with Lord Mandelson in an expanded business ministry. | He will work with Lord Mandelson in an expanded business ministry. |
| The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been created to "build Britain's capabilities to compete in the global economy". | The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been created to "build Britain's capabilities to compete in the global economy". |
| It merges the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with the Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills. | It merges the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with the Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills. |
| Lord Mandelson will become the second most important member of Cabinet with the title First Secretary of State, a role previously held by deputy prime ministers John Prescott and Michael Heseltine. | Lord Mandelson will become the second most important member of Cabinet with the title First Secretary of State, a role previously held by deputy prime ministers John Prescott and Michael Heseltine. |
| 'Jump ship' | 'Jump ship' |
| Sir Alan is a long-standing friend and supporter of the PM and is also a member of the Business Council for Britain, which advises government on issues affecting enterprise and the economy. | Sir Alan is a long-standing friend and supporter of the PM and is also a member of the Business Council for Britain, which advises government on issues affecting enterprise and the economy. |
| Asked about the resignation of former Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, Sir Alan said that some people would always "jump ship". | Asked about the resignation of former Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, Sir Alan said that some people would always "jump ship". |
| "There are always people, not only in politics but in business that don't agree with certain things. | "There are always people, not only in politics but in business that don't agree with certain things. |
| "One person writing a letter doesn't mean that everyone is collapsing like a pack of cards." | "One person writing a letter doesn't mean that everyone is collapsing like a pack of cards." |
| Blips | Blips |
| CABINET RESHUFFLE Alistair Darling - stays as chancellorAlan Johnson - new home secretaryDavid Miliband - stays as foreign secretaryJack Straw - stays as justice secretaryLord Mandelson - stays as business secretaryJohn Hutton - quitting as defence secretaryJim Murphy - stays Scottish SecretarySir Alan Sugar - made enterprise tsar LIVE: Brown fights for his future | CABINET RESHUFFLE Alistair Darling - stays as chancellorAlan Johnson - new home secretaryDavid Miliband - stays as foreign secretaryJack Straw - stays as justice secretaryLord Mandelson - stays as business secretaryJohn Hutton - quitting as defence secretaryJim Murphy - stays Scottish SecretarySir Alan Sugar - made enterprise tsar LIVE: Brown fights for his future |
| Having started out selling car aerials and cigarette lighters, at the age of 21 he launched his own electronics company, Amstrad - Alan Michael Sugar Trading - in 1968. | Having started out selling car aerials and cigarette lighters, at the age of 21 he launched his own electronics company, Amstrad - Alan Michael Sugar Trading - in 1968. |
| The firm floated on the stock market in 1980, its core business based on hi-fis and the groundbreaking PCW8256 personal computer. | The firm floated on the stock market in 1980, its core business based on hi-fis and the groundbreaking PCW8256 personal computer. |
| By the age of 40 he was worth about £600m, making him the 15th richest person in the UK. | By the age of 40 he was worth about £600m, making him the 15th richest person in the UK. |
| His career has not been without blips and the stock market crash of 1987 slashed the value of Amstrad to £197m, including a record one-day fall of £400m. | His career has not been without blips and the stock market crash of 1987 slashed the value of Amstrad to £197m, including a record one-day fall of £400m. |
| The company's fortunes took years to bounce back. It was sold to BSkyB in 2007 for £125m. | The company's fortunes took years to bounce back. It was sold to BSkyB in 2007 for £125m. |
| Amstrad helped make Sir Alan's fortune | Amstrad helped make Sir Alan's fortune |
| His involvement with Tottenham Hotspur also ended badly. Hailed as a saviour at first, he invested heavily, paying off £20m of debts but his relationship with the fans collapsed after he sacked manager Terry Venables - acrimony he said left him feeling "as though I'd killed Bambi". | His involvement with Tottenham Hotspur also ended badly. Hailed as a saviour at first, he invested heavily, paying off £20m of debts but his relationship with the fans collapsed after he sacked manager Terry Venables - acrimony he said left him feeling "as though I'd killed Bambi". |
| Sir Alan sold his shares in the club in 2001, after death threats to him and his family. | Sir Alan sold his shares in the club in 2001, after death threats to him and his family. |
| Amstrad has also had some less-than-successful products - including the PenPad, an early type of electronic personal organiser, and videophone - which combined phone, video calling and e-mailing - both of which failed to capture the public's imagination. | Amstrad has also had some less-than-successful products - including the PenPad, an early type of electronic personal organiser, and videophone - which combined phone, video calling and e-mailing - both of which failed to capture the public's imagination. |
| Much of Sir Alan's wealth now comes from his extensive property empire. | Much of Sir Alan's wealth now comes from his extensive property empire. |
| And despite his feisty image, Sir Alan Sugar is heavily involved in charity work, and has long been a supporter of Great Ormond Street children's hospital. | And despite his feisty image, Sir Alan Sugar is heavily involved in charity work, and has long been a supporter of Great Ormond Street children's hospital. |