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
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January 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
554
clouseau Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
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garfy, sledgey and fair to start with
January 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
554
clouseau
Everyone you can imagine but ,Mr. and Mrs. McCann
January 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
554 clouseau Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
can somebody please tell me who the prime suspects are
************
Just guessing: name starts with a “M”
[James Bond also an "M" and Sean Connery]
January 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
552 Garth Says: January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
545 Peter O Says: January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
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Evening Peter O. A great weekend although Im feeling a little under the weather now, but hey, I have all week to recover till it starts again!
+++++++++++
Good to hear it! Little people went to see Grandparents overnight so wife and I wandered around wondering what to do with ourselves this morning!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
546 Ade
They found another one - this time the ‘witness’ got there before Clarence and she says its the spitting image!
I reckon the PJ need to drag this one in and fit him up! In return he can say he tracked the McCanns and knew they’d be out for hours - we can have a double court case and bang them all away! McCanns for neglect and this geezer for abduction!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
552
Garth Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
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well i hope you feel better soon garfy, feeling a bit rough myself
January 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
550
RedRooster Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
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Well Im waiting for you to update me as I’ve not been around too much. So apart, bullshit, baffoon and bollox, what else have you been waffling about?
January 27th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
551 Ian Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Is their a fight going on in here?
***********
Would you like to join?
I’m a bit distracted though.. Sean Connery…
January 27th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
549
Fair Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
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what your point ????
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
can somebody please tell me who the prime suspects are
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Ade,
I have to agree - it looks like the McCann camp are rather without inspiritaion at them moment, clutching at straws, if you prefer.
They should keep quiet (for their own good) but they can’t because the machine they have built just keeps on spinning and spinning!!
Give them enough rope…..
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
545
Peter O Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
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Evening Peter O. A great weekend although Im feeling a little under the weather now, but hey, I have all week to recover till it starts again!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Is their a fight going on in here?
January 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
547
Garth Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
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got any news garfy or have you just come to regurgitate
January 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
RR
500
504
512
513
519
527
532
533
543
January 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
542 RedRooster Says:
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i am sorry i said that to you but when you’re under attack from all angles, instinct kicks in i guess. Sorry
—
Apology accepted, thanks.
It’s easy to get caught in the fray.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
541
Totje Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
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You might well ask Totje!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
538 Aardvarko
i have been wondering what’s in store for the week ahead.
it seems that “sightings” of swarthy johnny foreigner types are not as effective at keeping the mcconns in the papers as they once were.
“sightings” of blonde 3-year olds are likewise out of fashion.
the oprah show story doesn’t have much mileage
so what’s next?
is it time for a completely different ruse?
such fun
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Evening Garth! Good weekend?
January 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
543
Garth Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
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oh look what the cat dragged in
January 27th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
So this is where everyone is hiding!
Wooster says
i am sorry i said that to you but when you’re under attack from all angles, instinct kicks in i guess. Sorry
Nah, you’re just a gobby bitch!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
539
veritablequandary Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
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i am sorry i said that to you but when you’re under attack from all angles, instinct kicks in i guess. Sorry
January 27th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
531
RedRooster,
Let’s change the subject.
Either Sean Connery or Madeleine.
I’m wondering why if the papers really believe their “sources close to the investigation” who say the “pj knows what happened and this is just diversion tactics from McC’s” and who’s “sources” also say “the pj knows Madeleine died in the apartment”, why on earth do they print sketchy, why are they printing about the farmer, why is the pj [according to the papers] re-interviewing the farmer, why do they interview someone in Gibraltar, and why does a police force in Chili check a sighting?
January 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Duncan,
Can you tell me where Anorak’s Referendum forum is? I can’t it. Thanks.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
532 RedRooster Says:
with all due respect you can fuck off
—
fair enough, said with respect
January 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Very little of what has been posted today has concerned the content of today’s papers, and I thought people would have noticed something significant in NOTW (apart from the fact that Gail Cooper seems to have changed her name t Gail Coop).
Coop(er) basically admitted that she never saw “Beatleman” at all and that he had been a figment of her imagination. Her actual words were - “It’s deeply shocking to see my drawing come to life. His cold, emotionless eyes sent a chill right through me.”
She gets back on track a little after that, but surely it was the man who became a drawing, if she had indeed seen anyway, and not the drawing which became a man….
…. a man, incidentally, who once again appears to be totally innocent and unconnected to this circus (until now, poor bugger), a man who lives a ninety minute drive away, and who has never been to PDL.
Anyone got anything to add….
January 27th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
533
Sledgehammer Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
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Oh ffs you’re back are you… see you all later when you start talking some sense
January 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
522
Annie_M Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Britain has signed ‘blank cheque’ to EU as 31 powers yet to be negotiated.
Daily Mail.
_________________________________
Support a referendum.
http://www.iwantareferendum.com/?gclid=CJifgayZgpECFRhWMAodsmPiAQ
………………………..
Thanks and well said, Annie_M, I totally agree with you!
Support a Referendum! Vote on I want a Referendum.com
January 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
530 Jane says
“I personally feel that the English will suffer the worst effects of this because we haven’t any devolved powers,”
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Most interesting.
Thanks for taking my question seriously.
(of course, not all of my questions are remotely serious)
January 27th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
525
DuncanR Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
466 - Jane
re European Referendum
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Would you like me to transfer a copy of this post to the Forum section of the site where it will enjoy greater ‘visibility’ rather than being ’submerged’ amongst all the comment on the McCann’s and their missing daughter?
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Yes, please, Duncan. Thanks for that. I followed on from TB’s posting on this and, as usually happens, a side discussion followed on from there.