Difference between revisions of "Lexington Communications"
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</div>Lexington Communications is a PR and lobbying company headed by [[Mike Craven]], a former adviser to the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, and [[John Prescott]], the MP and former chief media spokesperson for the Labour Party. Craven is also a former boss of [[GPC Market Access]], which was accused by Corporate Europe Observatory of waging a 'massive disinformation campaign' <ref>"[http://www.corporateeurope.org/observer1/patents.html Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive]", Corporate Europe Observatory Newsletter, No. 1, May 1998</ref> over its campaign for patents on life. | </div>Lexington Communications is a PR and lobbying company headed by [[Mike Craven]], a former adviser to the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, and [[John Prescott]], the MP and former chief media spokesperson for the Labour Party. Craven is also a former boss of [[GPC Market Access]], which was accused by Corporate Europe Observatory of waging a 'massive disinformation campaign' <ref>"[http://www.corporateeurope.org/observer1/patents.html Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive]", Corporate Europe Observatory Newsletter, No. 1, May 1998</ref> over its campaign for patents on life. | ||
| − | In 2003, the corporate front group the [[Agricultural Biotechnology Council]], which had been set up by the biotech industry to create a confusion of identity in the public mind with the government-appointed Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, hired Lexington. | + | In 2003, the corporate front group the [[Agricultural Biotechnology Council]], which had been set up by the biotech industry to create a confusion of identity in the public mind with the government-appointed Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, hired Lexington.<ref>Andy Rowell, "[http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,7843,921537,00.html The alliance of science]", The Guardian, March 26, 2003</ref> |
| − | ABC | + | ABC's founder members are [[Monsanto]], [[Bayer CropScience]], [[BASF]], [[Dow Agrosciences]], [[Dupont]] and [[Syngenta]]<ref>[http://www.abcinformation.org/index.php ABC website], undated, accessed March 2006</ref>. At the same time Lexington hired [[Bernard Marantelli]], a PR operative from [[Monsanto]]. Part of his job in 2003 was to run a pro-GM PR campaign for the ABC to educate 'regulators, legislators, retailers and consumer groups'. The budget was £250,000, the same amount of money that was originally proposed for the whole national Public Debate on GM in the UK, held in 2003. {{ref|founders}} <ref>Andy Rowell, "[http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,7843,921537,00.html The alliance of science]", The Guardian, March 26, 2003</ref> |
[[Bernard Marantelli]] convinced about 30 companies to come to a meeting on 1 December to explore setting up a nanotechnology equivalent of ABC. The [[Nanotech Association]], which is run out of the same offices as Lexington, was launched in February 2005. {{ref|nano}} | [[Bernard Marantelli]] convinced about 30 companies to come to a meeting on 1 December to explore setting up a nanotechnology equivalent of ABC. The [[Nanotech Association]], which is run out of the same offices as Lexington, was launched in February 2005. {{ref|nano}} | ||
Revision as of 14:04, 2 October 2008
Lexington Communications is a PR and lobbying company headed by Mike Craven, a former adviser to the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, and John Prescott, the MP and former chief media spokesperson for the Labour Party. Craven is also a former boss of GPC Market Access, which was accused by Corporate Europe Observatory of waging a 'massive disinformation campaign' [1] over its campaign for patents on life.
In 2003, the corporate front group the Agricultural Biotechnology Council, which had been set up by the biotech industry to create a confusion of identity in the public mind with the government-appointed Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, hired Lexington.[2]
ABC's founder members are Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Dow Agrosciences, Dupont and Syngenta[3]. At the same time Lexington hired Bernard Marantelli, a PR operative from Monsanto. Part of his job in 2003 was to run a pro-GM PR campaign for the ABC to educate 'regulators, legislators, retailers and consumer groups'. The budget was £250,000, the same amount of money that was originally proposed for the whole national Public Debate on GM in the UK, held in 2003. [1] [4]
Bernard Marantelli convinced about 30 companies to come to a meeting on 1 December to explore setting up a nanotechnology equivalent of ABC. The Nanotech Association, which is run out of the same offices as Lexington, was launched in February 2005. [2]
Lexington has also taken over the account of CropGen another biotech front organisation which was run by Countrywide Porter Novelli. The Chair of CropGen is Vivian Moses who is also on the advisory board of the Scientific Alliance, another pro-biotech front organisation. [3]
Expensive Offices
Lexington is based on the top two floors of The Connection, Dragon Lane, Covent Garden, London, a new 3,500 sq.m. office building located between High Holborn and Stukeley Street, wrapped around the southern flank of the old Holborn Town Hall. Costing £4.5 million, it features large clearspan floorplates on six levels, features include full height windows to offices on lower levels, a glazed atrium within the reception, balconies and roof terraces. [4]
Address: The Connection, 198 High Holborn, London
Resources
- Lexington UK Staff and Clients 30.11.03 - 31.05.04
- Lexington UK Staff and clients, 1 June 2005 to 30 Nov 2005
- ^ Lexington website - Mike Craven, undated, accessed March 2006
- ^ ABC website, undated, accessed March 2006
- ^ Christian Garnett Partners website - The Connection, undated, accessed March 2006
Articles
- ^ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
- ^ Corporate Watch "Lobby and PR groups go for nano honeypot", October/November 2005
- ^ Corporate Europe Observatory, "Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive", May 1998
Notes
- ↑ "Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive", Corporate Europe Observatory Newsletter, No. 1, May 1998
- ↑ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
- ↑ ABC website, undated, accessed March 2006
- ↑ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
