Interesting debate here I suppose, just to add to what I said earlier, and maybe wrap up some issues with the way it came across. Of course the commander of the aircraft (the Captain) is effectively the manager too, that goes without saying from a safely perspective. Playing devils advocate, the company would never stand in the way of a descision made by the captain, esp. safety related.
But, as it's the companys aircraft that he is flying around in, which after all is there for the sole reason of making as much profit as poss....then the management (the earth bound management - bean counters etc) have to at least have their say on how the operation should be run.
The point about taking a 90 degree "off course" is a little dramatic, and not what I would class as a normal outcome to an ATC request for an easyJet to speed up. The Captain had his own reasons for doing that - maybe he was feeling a little bloody minded about the new SOP and took it to the extreme to make a point, who knows...his call.
Cheers Guys....