Simpson cancels Reform Club speech

IT PROMISED to be one of the most intriguing speeches since Gerald Ratner chose to explain the secrets of his success to the Institute of Directors' annual conference.

Lord Simpson, the sacked Marconi chief executive, was to deliver a lecture entitled Creating Wealth and Employment: The Importance Of A Strong Industrial Base, at the Reform Club in February.

Members of the august Pall Mall club were curious to learn more about wealth creation from the man under whose stewardship Marconi shrank in value by £34bn.

His record on job creation was also noteworthy. More than 6,000 jobs have gone as the firm struggles to survive in the wake of Simpson's asset-buying spree.

Alas, the talk to the club's economics and current affairs group will not take place. 'He withdrew a few weeks ago,' a club spokesman said.