Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Alex Salmond & Greg Lance-Watkins - Do They Share A Common Purpose ?

   On Wednesday 26th January, I appeared at Stonehaven Sheriff Court where my solicitor Gerry Sweeney appealed for a relaxation of my bail conditions. Mr Sweeney drew an analogy between my actions and those of someone opposing the Nazis in Germany in the 1930's.

  The following day, Aberdeen's local newspaper, the "Press and Journal" reported extensively on the case.
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2109540

 Later that day, I was very surprised to learn that the blog of Greg Lance-Watkins, a person who promotes the notion that the Hollie Greig case is a fantasy, made a reference to Mr Sweeney's Nazi analogy. This was not referred to in any newspaper coverage of the case nor was it mentioned in any of the material which my supporters published on the internet.

 Therefore I could not understand how Lance-Watkins could have been given this information as there were no more than 15 people in the courtroom and there was no transcript made of proceedings. The only possible sources that I could think of were either the Crown Office or the local newspaper group Aberdeen Journals, whose reporter was in the courtroom.

http://stolenkids-hollie.blogspot.com/2011/01/sk-h0435-p-provides-feint-succour-for.html 

 I have just learnt that on Friday 28th January, First Minister Alex Salmond had a meeting with Damian Bates, at that time Editor of the Evening Express who had recently been appointed as the new editor of the Press & Journal.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/133379/0117039.pdf

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=46569

 Given that Salmond's other engagements that day were with Outplay Entertainment, a business from Dundee, and STV , to record a clip about Andy Murray, why would he meet a newspaper editor from Aberdeen ?

 Could the meeting between Salmond and Bates possibly be linked to the leaking of information to Lance-Watkins ? We know that Salmond and Lance-Watkins, for their individual reasons, both want the Hollie Greig story to either be discredited or to disappear.

 Another alternative is that Salmond and Bates were discussing media coverage of my case and the Hollie Greig story in general. It is worth noting that, since then, there has been no coverage whatsoever of the Hollie Greig story by Aberdeen Journals and also, that Gary Cruden, who had reported on my court appearances is no longer employed by the organisation.

 It may or may not be relevant that Bates is a member of the Aberdeen Advisory Group of Common Purpose, an organisation with links to many of the key players in the Hollie Greig case including Elish Angiolini, Colin McKerracher and Kim Ryley.

 http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/contact/scotland/aberdeen

8 comments:

  1. Why would the First Minister travel to Aberdeen just for a meeting (not an interview) with the editor of a provincial newspaper ???

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  2. The reporter, Gary Cruden, told me that Greg Lance-Watkins had contacted him on several occasions giving his side of the story.

    It is worth noting that Lance-Watkins has boasted of the influence he has exerted on Shropshire Council in relation to Hollie's case.

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  3. GL-W gets his fingers in many pies. http://csonward.weebly.com/ is a website created by ex-MEP Ashley Mote with regards to the controversial writings of the late Christopher Story.
    There are only three links on the website, including the blog of GL-W. I wonder why?

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  4. Robert

    Alex Salmond is an MSP in the North East, Aberdeen is in the North East. MSP meets press in North East, your theory all sounds a bit desperate.

    More mileage in common purpose theme.

    Keep up the good work

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  5. There is no independent mainstream media in this country. The 'powers that be' make sure that their underlings (like Salmond and Cameron) maintain the status quo.

    Andy Gilligan got close with the Kelly affair. A loose cannon that cost Greg Dyke his job.

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  6. Robert,

    The plot thickens and they are keen to try and discredit you and your case.

    The so called "free" press is quite the reverse. It is controlled and manipulated by the establishment, plus various interest groups, people with something to hide etc.

    I feel that given the evidence that exists of widespread child abuse (and worse)we should all consider forming a group to campaign and raise awareness in the public arena. These cases are never going to be covered in the mainstream press, so we need to look at alternative ways of exposing these horrendous crimes.

    Jo

    ReplyDelete