And it turns out that the myriad reasons (excuses!!*) given by KPMG’s PR team for the media blockade are even more creative than its accounting methods. Firstly, KPMG was nervous about how government ministers speaking at the event might view the presence of media. Well, actually, we got an invite from the Agriculture Minister’s office to hear his speech. Then the issue of ‘Chatham House’ rules was raised and – said KPMG – this meant no media. Oh dear, someone obviously forgot to tell the bean-counters that Chatham House rules in fact mean that media are welcome to attend, but not to report anything without the permission of individuals – which is common practice. *Definition of ‘excuse’: the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.
