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 28th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Cheryl
Incidentally if Sledge says the McCanns aren’t guilty and I say ’shove it up your arse Sledge’ - I haven’t interfered with his freedom of speech at all.
Freedom of speech doesn’t mean opinions have to be agreed with - it only means they’re allowed to be expressed - which they are.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:02 am
712
Karen Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 2:54 am
All they had to do was give up the limelight after a reasonable amount of time (say 3 weeks) - after 9 months they’re in Tom Cruise Jumping the Couch territory and they may as well get used to the gossip (it’s going nowhere).
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Hi Karen, I saw a video earlier last year in which G Mccon was saying that he thought the media story was dying down in June, which he said they were quite Happy about and they were making plans to return to UK.
Then the whole media circus started taking off again! so it makes me wonder who was actually driving it at that point and why they were happy to be going back to UK in June ???
January 28th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Cheryl
How can you agree with that load of bollocks Sledge posted?
The McCanns aren’t going to get gassed - it’s a bit crass to even mention the holocaust.
Slagging them off for being media tarts isn’t making them like the Jews, it’s making them like Lindsay Lohan.
All they had to do was give up the limelight after a reasonable amount of time (say 3 weeks) - after 9 months they’re in Tom Cruise Jumping the Couch territory and they may as well get used to the gossip (it’s going nowhere).
January 28th, 2008 at 2:34 am
709
Cheryl Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 1:58 am
“They are expected to keep quiet and let the raging fires burn out of control without attempts to put it out or get it under control? Raging fires out of control not only destroy woodlands, houses but also lives!”
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Hi Cheryl, No I don’t think they are expected to keep quiet and they have been anything but! except apparently when being questioned by the PJ then by all accounts they were very quiet.
January 28th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Cheryl
The McCanns P.R. campaign started about 3 days after Madeleine went missing and never let up for a moment. It’s their P.R. that led to the speculation, and they have always defended themselves.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:58 am
707
Karen Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Cheryl
We’re not wrong about the McCanns neglecting their kids and having an incredibly annoying P.R. campaign.
_____________
REPLY: What brought the above on, Karen? I never said they weren’t guilty of neglect. Of course they are at least in my mind as a parent. My only thought is that what ALL of us think the law might not think or if there is a law written that covers their neglect, since all claim they were checking on the children.
Yes, Karen, the PR is rather going overboard. However, may I point out what is and has been negatively speculated, inferred and the sometimes outrageous statements made about the Mccanns would put even the Pope on the defensive if like statements were made about him? They are expected to keep quiet and let the raging fires burn out of control without attempts to put it out or get it under control? Raging fires out of control not only destroy woodlands, houses but also lives!
January 28th, 2008 at 1:46 am
516
Sledgehammer Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Batman++++ Perhaps this is the reason that people who want to see justice lawfully executed not imposed, come here, or are you another who thinks those who don’t share your opinion, should be denied their own opinion.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me -
and by then there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
_________________
REPLY: You are so right, Sledgehammer in your response. I have very diligently searched this site for a ‘keep out’ pro-mccanns or a ‘keep out ‘non-prejudgers” and not a written word posted anywhere from the Powers that Be in Anorak to lead one to believe they are not welcomed also to voice their opinions. Could it be the anti-mccanns become a slight bit uneasy when others disagree with some of the theories they post on here? Could they be concerned that what they write won’t be so tasty going down if their theories, speculations and innuendos don’t pan out?
January 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Cheryl
We’re not wrong about the McCanns neglecting their kids and having an incredibly annoying P.R. campaign.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:33 am
701
jo Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Have a look at NOTW…..Cooper looks as bad…actually dreadful
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Take no notice it even states that she is only 50
January 28th, 2008 at 1:30 am
701
jo Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Grandfinale
Have a look at NOTW…..Cooper looks as bad…actually dreadful
I would be very scared to meet her in the dark….seriously.
Seriously weird
Aint they waiting for some results from last DNA tests? YES!
January 28th, 2008 at 1:16 am
539
Aardvarko Says:
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.”
__________________
REPLY: I didn’t see her retraction in the paper that she saw a man. What paper is it in, please? Or is that your interpretation from her words?
January 28th, 2008 at 1:12 am
571
RedRooster Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
564
Peter O Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
551 Ian Says: January 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Is their a fight going on in here?
++++++++
Not yet………………..
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theres always a bloody fight going on here, but there would be no need to fight if all the halfwits that come here to defend the mccanns would just swallow their pride and admit how wrong they are
_______________
REPLY: Redrooster - there is a 50% chance you and the ani-mccanns might be the halfwits so let’s don’t start calling names - you may have to eat them.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:57 am
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/27826/Maddie-Cops-gave-up-hunt-months-ago/
January 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Grandfinale
Have a look at NOTW…..Cooper looks as bad…actually dreadful
I would be very scared to meet her in the dark….seriously.
What worries me is that it seems lots of people are saying the PJ do cant prove anything and cant charge them with murder…. I just cant believe this.
Aint they waiting for some results from last DNA tests?
January 28th, 2008 at 12:46 am
699
jo Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Jo
January 28th, 2008 at 12:39 am
698
Grande Finale Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:37 am
An other ABUSE you meant???
January 28th, 2008 at 12:37 am
695
dcb Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:18 am
ITN get it wrong:
********************************
That’s definitely a case of mistaken identity well spotted
January 28th, 2008 at 12:33 am
596
Ian Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
“I still think we should swap sides and try to prove there was an abduction.”
“As they pass the McCanns apartment they notice something (shutter up?). They mention it to Kate so she goes to check at about 10:00 (might have been later) - Madeleine has gone.”
“Im not sure why they dont say it must have been someone with a key.”
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“Madeleine has gone.” - (BEEN taken) surely in your example ?
1)Why was the shutter up ? why didn’t oldfield notice it on his check why didn’t any of the several people passing every 4 mins notice. why didn’t gerry or wilkins hear it
2)So the abdoctor locked the door with somebody elses kid in their arms and then made off in the busy direction ?
Add to that all the timings are wrong wrong and wrong again.
Doesn’t hold up for even 1 minute! we’ve done all that, no exit no abductor IMO.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:29 am
693
Totje Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 12:10 am
688 Jane,
You’re welcome.
I think you’re very busy now with the referendum?
I hope you’re still able to post over here.
**********************
Yes, very busy, Totje, I still manage to get some break time for blogging and forums, but as not as much as I previously did.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:18 am
ITN get it wrong:
http://itn.co.uk/news/98a0314b196ec323a7a06007bbc8e673.html
January 28th, 2008 at 12:10 am
640
Châtelaine Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I still have the idea that GM “closed” the window of opportunity by moving JT’s sighting to the time he was looking down at his lovely daughter. Once JT is discredited, the window of opportunity opens to ± 9:10 - 10:00 p.m. IMO & allegedly and all that jazz …
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Nobody can change the time of a witness siting. so it means absolutely nothing, it just contradicts other statements which IMO means G Mccano is an unreliable witness which the majority knows already.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:10 am
688 Jane,
You’re welcome.
I think you’re very busy now with the referendum?
I hope you’re still able to post over here.
**********************
Bye all, have to get my beauty sleep now.
And walk the puppy, feed the cats, do the washes, find some chocolate…..
January 28th, 2008 at 12:02 am
691 Jass
RedRooster’s gender is virtual.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Mods and Admin
I did think it left Ciara-Louise looking a bit silly…
Obviously I missed the satire.
Sorry!
January 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
582
DuncanR Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Jane - off Subject
European Referendum
I have set up an area of Anorak Forums to highlight this issue
http://www.anorak.co.uk/forums/topic.php?id=989&replies
………………………………
Thank you so much for this, Duncan. You’re a gem
January 27th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
681
jass Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I was genuinely puzzled on the Red Rooster gender, as he/she seems to swap between the two at random, and wondered where that left poor Ciara-Louise in this online flirtation.
——————————–
listen jass i will tell you this once and only once. Keep your bloody beak out of my business. Whatever me and Ciara-Lou have is between us ok . Now i bid you a very good night.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
674
Totje Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
666
Jane,
Duncan posted a link for you.
582
DuncanR Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Jane - off Subject
European Referendum
I have set up an area of Anorak Forums to highlight this issue
http://www.anorak.co.uk/forums/topic.php?id=989&replies
………………………….
Thanks, Totje, I’ve been looking yet managed to miss this
January 27th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Last time: good night. Am off to the silken sheets
January 27th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
680
Totje Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
——————
of course
January 27th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
665
Tony Bennett Says:
January 27th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
659 Jane said: “Everyone who loves democracy and our country should support all of the Referendum campaigns, such as CREC’s and I Want A Referendum.com, because if they don’t, we will lose our democracy, it really is that desperately serious”.
REPLY: Jane, please note this actual quote from Tony Blair’s book, published in 1996: “New Britain: My Vision of a Young Country”, page 70; here is a verbatim quote:
“If there are further steps to European integration, the people should have their say at a general election or in a referendum”.
Once again, for the record…
“If there are further steps to European integration, the people should have their say at a general election or in a referendum”.
And just to make sure we haven’t forgotten…
“If there are further steps to European integration, the people should have their say at a general election or in a referendum”.
…………………………………….
What a betrayal by such a lying creep. Not hard to see why, he seems to want to be EU President. Did you see the video on Devil’s Kitchen? I posted a link to this. I am deeply shocked by the Miliband brothers’ outrageous arrogance in that video when confronted by their own left wing supporters about the Treaty. What Tony Benn says in the video is very true, this Treaty amounts to the theft of our democracy.
Out campaigning with a petition in Harlow, I’ve been amazed at the hugely positive reception the petition has received, most Harlow people (around 80%, I would say) are very keen to sign it and reject this Treaty. When you talk to those who say they do want it (e.g. ‘because I’m moving to France’) about the issues, they often change their minds. What’s needed is to persuade businesses and well off people across Britain to sponsor their town/district’s Referendum. For a town the size of Harlow it costs about £30,000 for a postal Referendum. Half a dozen businesses could sponsor that sort of sum. We could have a Referendum in every town in Britain and villages could so easily run their own. I went to Sawbo’ recently and volunteered to help them run one. I believe Roydon is organising one.