Madeleine McCann: Duarte Levy, Clarence Mitchell And The Daily Mirror
DUARTE Levy writes on the case of Madeleine McCann. He alleges that that Clarence Mitchell, the McCanns’ PR adviser, is “using the Government’s services to keep watch on journalists and forum participants.” Says Mr Levy:
Clarence Mitchell, the McCann’s PR adviser and spokesman, continues to make use of the British government’s services despite having officially resigned from his position as director of the Media Monitoring Unit*. The accusation comes from a Home Office source who has stated that the outgoing director had called upon his former service to keep a watch not only on several journalists but also on the behaviour of participants in a list of forums and blogs considered to be “highly detrimental to the image of the McCanns and that of the British government”.
Can what Mr Levy alleges be true? And if it is, why would it be a big deal for the McCanns’ spokesman to keep an eye on the web, and get what help he can? Mr Levy continues:
Clarence Mitchell, a former journalist for the Daily Express and the BBC, was seconded by the Foreign Office to act as a liaison officer between the media and Madeleine’s parents. Through the intermediary of the respective British embassies, it was he who organised the McCann’s visits to the Vatican, Madrid, Berlin, Amsterdam and Rabat.
Since the very early days, media monitoring has been an important part of Clarence Mitchell’s work. While the McCann’s were in Praia da Luz, it was he who decided to separate journalists according to nationality: the British first, and the Portuguese last.
Today, the McCann’s PR campaign relies more than ever on monitoring public opinion: over the past few days several UK forums and blogs have been shut down due to “anti-McCann” comments. Amongst them is the Mirror newspaper’s forum, which erased all comments about the case without warning when the participants started to debate Home Office interference.
No response from Mr Mitchell is quoted in Mr Levy’s email to us. But why did the Daily Mirror close its forum? Anyone from those forums care to tell us what they know?
Anorak’s monitoring team try to read all reader comments - of which there are thousands.
Posted: 27th, January 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (741) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- susan jones on Susan Boyle Weeps As The Press Set About Destroying Her
- The Real Stig on The Great Cathay Pacific Blocked Toilet Mystery
- SoDak-GhostDog on Interview With Survior Of James Arthur Ray’s Sedona Sweat Lodge
- Katie Norman on I’m A Celebrity: Joe Bugner’s Career In Pictures
- HOTWATER on Madeleine McCann: The Media Creates A New Maddie Monster And Twists The Facts
January 27th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
231
chenier
I’m shocked and appalled that you should think I were capable of luring for ‘intellectual nourishment’ such ‘easy meat’ like sledgehammer!
January 27th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
The first post i ever made here was about how if we were not careful this could be our own JFK. How is America at the moment, everything OK? (More innocent people in jail in US than anywhere else i believe).
To all the Pro-McCann’s out there, the chinese have a proverb; Beware what you want.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
228
Irene
Its an incredible statement isnt it! Theyd lose their home - two highly paid professionals - for want of two months mortgage.
Ludicrous rubbish - or very concerning (in the light of the fund supposedly to find their child being seen as the way to fund their lives).
January 27th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
223
Ian Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
‘So, on the face of it and without formal sourcing, it looks as if the case will never be solved.’
——————————————-
It’s very unkind of you to wind sledgehammer up; you know very well that he’s a sucker for bait like that.
Once you’ve lured him into your parlour the fly stands no chance…
January 27th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
224 Matt
Actually that fits in with what I just said.
Thanks all for the info.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Just had a look, the headline is ‘PJ ‘recuperates’ (resurrects I suppose) the theory of abduction’.
I guess this just means they are following all leads as they have always said they were.
It may well be that this is either to meet the public expectation, to meet the possible requirements of the UK governement (Jaqui Smith) to let them re-question the McCanns.
I’d definately take this approach, as by accepting their stories it exposes the huge inconsistancies, basically what I have been doing regarding ‘windows of opportunity’.
Its an effective negotiating ploy, where you repeat to your ‘opponent’ - usually through paraphrasing - what they are asking you to accept. They then see the flaws for themselves and it can prevent ‘head to heads’.
I dont actually think this is anything to be concerned about, I dont for a amoment think the PJ really believe that Madeleine was abducted.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Going back to older news it seemed funny when it was reported that £4,000 of the fund was used to pay two months mortgage. When asked about this, C.M. said (for what I can remember) “They’ve already lost a daughter, do you expect them to lose their home as well”.
LOSE THEIR HOME? is he trying to tell us, the McCanns, with their highly paid careers were skint? Not in a position to pay what he described as only a “Small amount”. The wider family were even willing, so they said, to sell there houses to help. So “WHY” were headlines made of this £4,000.
Could it be ,
It was yet another cover to try and fool us that the McCanns least interest was money.
Now of course, we know different. It seems that yet another of C.M’s lame reasons has backed fired, especially with the latest on going talks of one million pound offers for them to appear on American T.V. shows.
It must however, be very frustrating for them as Arguidos because it means they can’t grab the best offer NOW. Good, I hope the P.J. continue to make extentions, if of course, they don’t finally nail them first.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
212
bountyhunter Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
CHENIER
MARIE NICHOLAS
——————————–
Good grief.
But I’m glad she’s still here seven years later, at least!
January 27th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
218 bountyhunter
i have been away playing tunes in dubious venues and i have completely missed a whole week’s fun.
i am feeling very out of touch.
still fun to be had though
i believe the mcconns are getting increasingly desperate at the silence from pj
January 27th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
210,Ian ,sorry mate my mistake it was a link from earlier,it was actually the mail not mirror,
trying to work at the same time,so can only keep bobbing in from time to time,oh the perils of running own buisness eh!……….
still I think they will walk,too much support on their side,how will this look on Brown,Branson, and of course clarry and other backers,if they are found guilty,no,it wont happen,maybe at the end and just maybe,they may get a smacked hand for negligence,but I wont hold my breath, the whole sordid thing stinks to high heaven….IMO..
January 27th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
223…Ian
Times Oct 17th 2007
“”"But the new head of the investigation, Paulo Rebelo, has ordered officers to consider all options.”"”"
Lori Campbell writes tosh.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
How interesting!
Strange that the last line says …
‘State prosecutor Jose Magalhaese Menezes now believes the couple will not be charged unless a body is found’. Doesnt sound like they are admitting it was abduction - sounds more like they couldnt prove either way and the case will be shelved.
I wonder who the ‘police sources’ are.
So, on the face of it and without formal sourcing, it looks as if the case will never be solved. Pity, I had hoped that the police would force the McCanns to admit that they werent quite as truthful as they might have been regarding the checking regime!
I hope they will provide formal timelines so we can see how the ‘abductor’ managed to get in and out in the window of opportunity (5 mins or the new ‘no minutes’ one).
I wonder if this opens up the posibility to get on with the neglect charges?
I wish I spoke portuguese! Does anyone know how portuguese law defines failure of parental duty of are so we can see if charges could be brough? Where is the source of law?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Good to see all the familiars coming in. It’s 8:20 am here and I’ve been on here too long. Time to get dressed and do something. I know there was a lot of wine drinking on here last night so hope you don’t overdo it tonight————-what time is the party starting tonight?
_____________________
Mods and Admin
There has been Burns Night over the weekend,and those not celebrating Burns have been celebrating Coleridge? will that do?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
ADE Sledge lives in Dynotopia, with Kate Barbie , Ken Gerry & Clarrie the clown. They all love pink and fairytales.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
210
Ian Says:
202 Delboy’
….now in the mirror “police say maddie may have been abducted”
Can you provide the link to this please as I think it is misreported.
————————
The Daily Mirror got this story from the Portuguese “24horas” …
January 27th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“cause the PJ remain silent as deads. ”
”
You do know even the head of the PJ has admitted his men are responsibile for at least a proportion of the leaks..?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
MRS BOUNTYHUNTER SAYS
HI ADE Good to see you back we need some fun ! Were you here when the cooper/pig farmer story broke ? We want to laugh till Mr Rebello arrives.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
175
Logic Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
164 Chenier
I did say I don’t think letters are being sent….
—————————————–
I know and I’m sorry; I should have acknowledged it.
It’s just that it’s terribly easy for speculation to be turned into certainties graven onto tablets of stone, and this sort of speculation is highly helpful to comical clarrie and the saintly ones.
They appear to be doing their damnest to incite a lynchmob, and to undermine our human rights, and instead of people commenting on that we are distracted by silly stories about the Home Office writing to the Mirror forum.
Great for Team McCann, but not good for Madeleine. She had human rights as well, and it would be nice if Team McCann ever acknowleged them…
January 27th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Morning all
“PJ sources” are nothing. I bet “PJ sources” don’t bother to keep informed the Mcteam neither to update the information every two or three days. The Mccs don’t have, unfortunately for them, any PJ sources, cause the PJ remain silent as deads.
They have simply invented the “news”. After manipulating, conspirating and censuring forum, why not to radically invent news?
Go ahead, Mr. Mitchell. Your ethical behaviour will cross the British journalism history as a putrid shit comet.
go for my Sunday family lunch.
lol
January 27th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Anorak is well moderated, I think the Mirror is simply not well moderated or administered and the easy option was to close it beofore they found themselves being sued (they may still be).
I think the poster who said the ’suits’ had become aware is probably right, middle managers panic easily.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
210 ian
see post number one
January 27th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
208
Ade Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Come on we all sludgy lives in cloud mcCookoo land
January 27th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
CHENIER
MARIE NICHOLAS
OT mY mother in law went to look for SINUTAB from local GP, she has known him for past 20 years. He had none so gave her 10 Cipro , just as good as Sinutab he said (and much more expensive). Unfortunatly she has been on Prednisone for23 years, this turned out to be a lethal combination. Was in Hospital for 23 days, she has not been back to a doctor for 7 years ! Most drs just dish these drugs out like sweeties.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
208
Ade
January 27th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
202 Delboy’
….now in the mirror “police say maddie may have been abducted”
Can you provide the link to this please as I think it is misreported.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
206
Sally Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
*******************
there is the google translator but I cant use it.I can translate directly but this takes an awful long time….
January 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
205 ian
i think the sludge lives in dystopia
January 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
202
delboy Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
***************
….and give them sleeping drugs before you go out and make sure there is an abductor in the area…..
you are talking about their backing from “serious” people….. good one
The PJ has said nothing of the sort….and the Mirror??? for God sake
January 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
203 Jo
Ohhh, well that’s different, one can understand if it’s in a different language, who knows what some people might post. But isn’t there some way to translate the website into English so you could share?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
162
Sally
I nthink the poster ’sledgehammer’ lives there.