Difference between revisions of "Hakluyt Watch"

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Private Eye
+
Private Eye, No. 1031, 29 June - 12 July, 2001
  
No. 1031
+
==In The Back==
29 June - 12 July, 2001
 
  
In The Back:
+
Who exactly is [[Michael Maclay]], director of [[Hakluyt]], the mysterious
 
 
Hakluyt Watch
 
 
 
Who exactly is Michael Maclay, director of Hakluyt, the mysterious
 
 
"intelligence agency" exposed by the Sunday Times (17 June) as an employer
 
"intelligence agency" exposed by the Sunday Times (17 June) as an employer
 
of spies in the green and peace movements?
 
of spies in the green and peace movements?
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journalists. But not so. When he left the foreign office in the mid-1980s he
 
journalists. But not so. When he left the foreign office in the mid-1980s he
 
teamed up with the celebrated team of "mission to explain" journalists at
 
teamed up with the celebrated team of "mission to explain" journalists at
London Weekend Television under John Birt, later director-general of the
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London Weekend Television under [[John Birt]], later director-general of the
BBC, and Peter Mandelson, later Labour's media specialist and twice-sacked
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BBC, and [[Peter Mandelson]], later Labour's media specialist and twice-sacked
 
cabinet minister.
 
cabinet minister.
  
 
While at London Weekend Maclay helped Mandelson's friend David (now Lord)
 
While at London Weekend Maclay helped Mandelson's friend David (now Lord)
 
Lipsey set up the Sunday Correspondent to rival the Observer. Together with
 
Lipsey set up the Sunday Correspondent to rival the Observer. Together with
Mandelson and Lipsey, Maclay was an early member of the British American
+
Mandelson and Lipsey, Maclay was an early member of the [[British American
Project to encourage members of "the successor generation" -- the best and
+
Project]] to encourage members of "the successor generation" -- the best and
 
the brightest in both countries (see Eyes 929, 954, 960, 963, 1011). Another
 
the brightest in both countries (see Eyes 929, 954, 960, 963, 1011). Another
former BAP member was Liz (now Baroness) Symons, a star in the Blair
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former BAP member was [[Elizabeth symons|Liz (now Baroness) Symons]], a star in the Blair
government, and wife of Phil Bassett, Blair's key aide at Number 10.
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government, and wife of [[Phil Bassett]], Blair's key aide at Number 10.
  
 
The fact that Maclay's Hakluyt (bizarrely named after a geographer) sought
 
The fact that Maclay's Hakluyt (bizarrely named after a geographer) sought
and paid for information from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth which
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and paid for information from [[Greenpeace]] and [[Friends of the Earth]] which
would be useful to its clients in the boardroom of BP will not have come as
+
would be useful to its clients in the boardroom of [[BP]] will not have come as
 
a surprise to top BP executive and founding treasurer of the British
 
a surprise to top BP executive and founding treasurer of the British
American Project, Nick Butler. Butler is well known to Eye readers as one of
+
American Project, [[Nick Butler]]. Butler is well known to Eye readers as one of
 
"new" Labour's favourite big businessmen. For several years his wife ran the
 
"new" Labour's favourite big businessmen. For several years his wife ran the
press office at the Blairite think tank IPPR, whose talkative director
+
press office at the Blairite think tank [[IPPR]], whose talkative director
Matthew Taylor is another close friend of Michael Maclay.
+
[[Matthew Taylor]] is another close friend of Michael Maclay.

Revision as of 08:33, 27 June 2006

Private Eye, No. 1031, 29 June - 12 July, 2001

In The Back

Who exactly is Michael Maclay, director of Hakluyt, the mysterious "intelligence agency" exposed by the Sunday Times (17 June) as an employer of spies in the green and peace movements?

Mr Maclay is an informative chap. He told the Sunday Times: "We don't ever talk about anything we do. We never go into details about what we may or may not be doing."

An ignorant observer might imagine that Maclay has an aversion to journalists. But not so. When he left the foreign office in the mid-1980s he teamed up with the celebrated team of "mission to explain" journalists at London Weekend Television under John Birt, later director-general of the BBC, and Peter Mandelson, later Labour's media specialist and twice-sacked cabinet minister.

While at London Weekend Maclay helped Mandelson's friend David (now Lord) Lipsey set up the Sunday Correspondent to rival the Observer. Together with Mandelson and Lipsey, Maclay was an early member of the [[British American Project]] to encourage members of "the successor generation" -- the best and the brightest in both countries (see Eyes 929, 954, 960, 963, 1011). Another former BAP member was Liz (now Baroness) Symons, a star in the Blair government, and wife of Phil Bassett, Blair's key aide at Number 10.

The fact that Maclay's Hakluyt (bizarrely named after a geographer) sought and paid for information from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth which would be useful to its clients in the boardroom of BP will not have come as a surprise to top BP executive and founding treasurer of the British American Project, Nick Butler. Butler is well known to Eye readers as one of "new" Labour's favourite big businessmen. For several years his wife ran the press office at the Blairite think tank IPPR, whose talkative director Matthew Taylor is another close friend of Michael Maclay.