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Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Tony Bennett on Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:13 pm
6th Madeleine Foundation Conference - Shropshire - Summary Report
Committee, Members and Supporters met at a venue in Shropshire on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 November. The weather forced a late change to the venue and also meant that a number of people were unable to travel.
A long discussion was held about the McCanns’ forthcoming ‘very truthful’ book. Members noted that the McCanns had taken truthfulness to a new level by proclaiming that the book would be ‘very truthful’. Possibly they might even publish another book in a couple of years which would prove to be 'extremely' truthful?
There was strong approval expressed for the poster (unknown) on the Daily Express internet comments pages who had compiled a list of 103 questions for the McCanns to answer in their forthcoming ‘very truthful’ book. Members added many more questions to the list and MF will at some stage publish its own list of questions to be answered.
That list will include the need for the McCanns to clear up all contradictions and changes of story in their own and the rest of the Tapas 9’s witness statements and public utterings.
Members predicted that the McCanns' book would 'bomb' in much the same was Michael Barrymore's autobiography, 'Awight Now!', bombed - in a forlorn and doomed attempt to rehabilitate his tattered reputation in the eyes of the public.
We discussed the making of three more videos for YouTube; one of them will feature events concerning Goncalo Amaral and a draft script for the video was hammered out.
Attendees then watched an hour-long video of a public talk given by an MF member in the area to 40 members of the public. He had used a powerpoint presentation with about 30 slides and talked for about 45 minutes, with questions from the audience. The video was remarkable for the audience reactions to the material in the talk. There were gasps as the audience realised that the ‘Tapas’ men had calmly written down two conflicting timelines for the evening of 3 May, using Madeleine’s Activity Sticker Book, that they had done that rather than go out searching, and that although the men knew about Tanner’s alleged sighting, Jane Tanner herself had not seen fit to tell her friend Dr Kate McCann about her ‘sighting’ until 24 hours later. One person in the audience was heard to exclaim: ‘Are the McCanns’ human?’ Two slides, one of the Gaspars’ statement, and one explaining that the Gaspars’ statement did not reach the Portuguese police until after Goncalo Amaral was dismissed, excited especial interest, especially when the speaker revealed that the Gaspars were not only doctors but also former friends of the McCanns and Dr David Payne.
Women in the audience spoke up strongly and movingly about the body language of the McCanns. As slides were shown, especially of Dr Kate McCann in the weeks after Madeleine’s disappearance, members of the audience made comments such as: “I see relief in those eyes” and “She looks relaxed, as if a burden has been lifted from her shoulders”.
Another group in another area has asked the member concerned to repeat the same talk.
Since the trailer for the 'Inside Out' programme was shown on 15 November, two new members had joined already, several new messages of support had been received, and several copies of our new book sold.
Members heard about the work of researchers and supporters who live in the south Midlands and we propose to hold a meeting there in February.
++++++++++++++++++++
On the Sunday Grenville Green and Helene Davies-Green attended for a full discussion and analysis of the ‘Inside Out’ programme.
The following criticisms of Simon Hare and the programme he had put together were made:
*In the opening sequence, an impression was given to the viewer that by asking Simon Hare to meet with a member at the Nottingham Gateway Hotel, we somehow misled Simon Hare into thinking we had booked our conference there. This appeared to be a very deliberate misrepresentation. After he had asked for permission to attend the conference, we had clearly told him that we were meeting ‘at a community centre in Nottingham’. We had told him to meet at the Gateway Hotel and told him we would take him to ‘a nearby venue’. We had been absolutely straight about that, explaining that we did not disclose the venues in advance to anyone who had not registered, explaining that McCann-supporters had in the past openly threatened to disrupt proceedings. The accompanying background music to the clips of Nuthall Parish Hall was also designed to create a misleading impression of mystery.
* Simon Hare claimed that after leaving the Madeleine Foundation conference he was ‘still no nearer to understanding what the Madeleine Foundation was all about’. This was disingenuous at best. By that time, he had been able to read our entire website and had listened by invitation to a robust discussion by 19 members and supporters of what might have happened to Madeleine McCann.
* Simon Hare had promised in writing that as part of his obligation to produce a fair programme, he would ensure that viewers were told that the ban on Goncalo Amaral’s book being sold had been lifted on 19 October. That promise had been broken. Not only that, but in a trailer for the film he had described Goncalo Amaral as ‘discredited’
* The express purpose of The Madeleine Foundation handing in a petition to 10 Downing Street, and letters at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, was to press the government to hold a full public enquiry, with the power to summon witnesses, into all aspects of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Simon Hare did not even mention this, despite promising in writing that he would make a ‘full and fair’ programme about our work.
* The arguments that we gave during interviews as to why we considered that the McCanns had questions to answer, e.g. the cadaver dog’s alerts, the McCanns’ reactions to the cadaver dog’s alerts, and the long list of discrepancies and changes of story, were all left on the cutting room floor and never made the film. Instead, Simon Hare dismissed the all the circumstantial and other evidence that Madeleine had died in the McCanns’ apartment as ‘discredited’. In short, the film did not allow us to make our case.
* The sequence of an MF member hiding behind a lamp-post was a breach of trust. The member concerned had specifically stated that she did not wish to be filmed and Simon Hare had agreed in writing to that, having been told that many MF members and supporters feared repercussions if they made public their questioning of the McCanns’ abduction claim.
* The playing of the song: ‘I don’t care what the people may say’ was cut into the film to convey a subtle, but inaccurate, message.
* The statement of Debbie Butler about what happened on the day of leafleting in Leicestershire on 12 August 2009 was false in several respects, and, again contrary to specific promises, was not put to the other three participants in the leafleting that day, namely Tony Bennett, Grenville Green and Helene Davies- Green. The following statements by Ms Butler were wholly untrue:
(i)] that she was ‘instructed’ to do anything that day
(ii)] that it was known in advance that the Restaurant and Tea Rooms in Mountsorrel was a place Dr Kate McCann had once visited with Madeleine
(iii) that any of us distributed leaflets there that day
(iv) that she was ‘instructed’ to leaflet the McCanns’ road. The Crescent
(v) that she only did so because Helene’s legs ‘turned to jelly’.
* Moreover, the other three had given to Simon Hare their account of the day’s events and none of those were used.
* During the making of the programme, Simon Hare had been given chapter and verse about Ms Butler’s malicious claim of fraud against Tony Bennett and full particulars of her repeated false claims to have walked across Spain in the summer heat, making it as plain as could be that her word on anything could simply not be trusted. Moreover, Simon Hare had given his promise that because of these concerns he would not be interviewing Debbie Butler for the programme.
* The longest clip shown of the Bristol leafleting was of a group of students challenging Tony Bennett. Other sequences showing Tony chatting to passers-by who were in full support of our campaign and asking to take away more leaflets to hand to others were clearly left on the cutting-room floor.
* No reference whatsoever was made to the in-depth articles on our website, e.g. about the contradictions, about the private investigators, about the Fund, about Robert Murat, about the trials of Goncalo Amaral, about Marcos Aragao Correia, etc., yet these form the core of our work, and the BBC promised a ‘full’ look at the work of The Madeleine Foundation.
* During the filming of Grenville Green, Simon Hare asked to film him running a Union Jack up the flagpole in his garden. He asked Simon Hare: “What do you want to do that for?” and refused.
These were not the only points of concern raised about the film. At stake had been the reputation of the BBC for fairness, integrity and honesty. What action we take to raise these concerns formally with the BBC has not yet been resolved.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=+
Sunday lunch was at Wetherspoons, where £7.98 bought a Sunday roast, desssert of your choice and a pint of your favourite brew. As we left, a copy of 'The Madeleine McCann Case Files Volume 1' was left on Wetherspoons' bookshelves for visitors to browse.
Committee, Members and Supporters met at a venue in Shropshire on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 November. The weather forced a late change to the venue and also meant that a number of people were unable to travel.
A long discussion was held about the McCanns’ forthcoming ‘very truthful’ book. Members noted that the McCanns had taken truthfulness to a new level by proclaiming that the book would be ‘very truthful’. Possibly they might even publish another book in a couple of years which would prove to be 'extremely' truthful?
There was strong approval expressed for the poster (unknown) on the Daily Express internet comments pages who had compiled a list of 103 questions for the McCanns to answer in their forthcoming ‘very truthful’ book. Members added many more questions to the list and MF will at some stage publish its own list of questions to be answered.
That list will include the need for the McCanns to clear up all contradictions and changes of story in their own and the rest of the Tapas 9’s witness statements and public utterings.
Members predicted that the McCanns' book would 'bomb' in much the same was Michael Barrymore's autobiography, 'Awight Now!', bombed - in a forlorn and doomed attempt to rehabilitate his tattered reputation in the eyes of the public.
We discussed the making of three more videos for YouTube; one of them will feature events concerning Goncalo Amaral and a draft script for the video was hammered out.
Attendees then watched an hour-long video of a public talk given by an MF member in the area to 40 members of the public. He had used a powerpoint presentation with about 30 slides and talked for about 45 minutes, with questions from the audience. The video was remarkable for the audience reactions to the material in the talk. There were gasps as the audience realised that the ‘Tapas’ men had calmly written down two conflicting timelines for the evening of 3 May, using Madeleine’s Activity Sticker Book, that they had done that rather than go out searching, and that although the men knew about Tanner’s alleged sighting, Jane Tanner herself had not seen fit to tell her friend Dr Kate McCann about her ‘sighting’ until 24 hours later. One person in the audience was heard to exclaim: ‘Are the McCanns’ human?’ Two slides, one of the Gaspars’ statement, and one explaining that the Gaspars’ statement did not reach the Portuguese police until after Goncalo Amaral was dismissed, excited especial interest, especially when the speaker revealed that the Gaspars were not only doctors but also former friends of the McCanns and Dr David Payne.
Women in the audience spoke up strongly and movingly about the body language of the McCanns. As slides were shown, especially of Dr Kate McCann in the weeks after Madeleine’s disappearance, members of the audience made comments such as: “I see relief in those eyes” and “She looks relaxed, as if a burden has been lifted from her shoulders”.
Another group in another area has asked the member concerned to repeat the same talk.
Since the trailer for the 'Inside Out' programme was shown on 15 November, two new members had joined already, several new messages of support had been received, and several copies of our new book sold.
Members heard about the work of researchers and supporters who live in the south Midlands and we propose to hold a meeting there in February.
++++++++++++++++++++
On the Sunday Grenville Green and Helene Davies-Green attended for a full discussion and analysis of the ‘Inside Out’ programme.
The following criticisms of Simon Hare and the programme he had put together were made:
*In the opening sequence, an impression was given to the viewer that by asking Simon Hare to meet with a member at the Nottingham Gateway Hotel, we somehow misled Simon Hare into thinking we had booked our conference there. This appeared to be a very deliberate misrepresentation. After he had asked for permission to attend the conference, we had clearly told him that we were meeting ‘at a community centre in Nottingham’. We had told him to meet at the Gateway Hotel and told him we would take him to ‘a nearby venue’. We had been absolutely straight about that, explaining that we did not disclose the venues in advance to anyone who had not registered, explaining that McCann-supporters had in the past openly threatened to disrupt proceedings. The accompanying background music to the clips of Nuthall Parish Hall was also designed to create a misleading impression of mystery.
* Simon Hare claimed that after leaving the Madeleine Foundation conference he was ‘still no nearer to understanding what the Madeleine Foundation was all about’. This was disingenuous at best. By that time, he had been able to read our entire website and had listened by invitation to a robust discussion by 19 members and supporters of what might have happened to Madeleine McCann.
* Simon Hare had promised in writing that as part of his obligation to produce a fair programme, he would ensure that viewers were told that the ban on Goncalo Amaral’s book being sold had been lifted on 19 October. That promise had been broken. Not only that, but in a trailer for the film he had described Goncalo Amaral as ‘discredited’
* The express purpose of The Madeleine Foundation handing in a petition to 10 Downing Street, and letters at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, was to press the government to hold a full public enquiry, with the power to summon witnesses, into all aspects of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Simon Hare did not even mention this, despite promising in writing that he would make a ‘full and fair’ programme about our work.
* The arguments that we gave during interviews as to why we considered that the McCanns had questions to answer, e.g. the cadaver dog’s alerts, the McCanns’ reactions to the cadaver dog’s alerts, and the long list of discrepancies and changes of story, were all left on the cutting room floor and never made the film. Instead, Simon Hare dismissed the all the circumstantial and other evidence that Madeleine had died in the McCanns’ apartment as ‘discredited’. In short, the film did not allow us to make our case.
* The sequence of an MF member hiding behind a lamp-post was a breach of trust. The member concerned had specifically stated that she did not wish to be filmed and Simon Hare had agreed in writing to that, having been told that many MF members and supporters feared repercussions if they made public their questioning of the McCanns’ abduction claim.
* The playing of the song: ‘I don’t care what the people may say’ was cut into the film to convey a subtle, but inaccurate, message.
* The statement of Debbie Butler about what happened on the day of leafleting in Leicestershire on 12 August 2009 was false in several respects, and, again contrary to specific promises, was not put to the other three participants in the leafleting that day, namely Tony Bennett, Grenville Green and Helene Davies- Green. The following statements by Ms Butler were wholly untrue:
(i)] that she was ‘instructed’ to do anything that day
(ii)] that it was known in advance that the Restaurant and Tea Rooms in Mountsorrel was a place Dr Kate McCann had once visited with Madeleine
(iii) that any of us distributed leaflets there that day
(iv) that she was ‘instructed’ to leaflet the McCanns’ road. The Crescent
(v) that she only did so because Helene’s legs ‘turned to jelly’.
* Moreover, the other three had given to Simon Hare their account of the day’s events and none of those were used.
* During the making of the programme, Simon Hare had been given chapter and verse about Ms Butler’s malicious claim of fraud against Tony Bennett and full particulars of her repeated false claims to have walked across Spain in the summer heat, making it as plain as could be that her word on anything could simply not be trusted. Moreover, Simon Hare had given his promise that because of these concerns he would not be interviewing Debbie Butler for the programme.
* The longest clip shown of the Bristol leafleting was of a group of students challenging Tony Bennett. Other sequences showing Tony chatting to passers-by who were in full support of our campaign and asking to take away more leaflets to hand to others were clearly left on the cutting-room floor.
* No reference whatsoever was made to the in-depth articles on our website, e.g. about the contradictions, about the private investigators, about the Fund, about Robert Murat, about the trials of Goncalo Amaral, about Marcos Aragao Correia, etc., yet these form the core of our work, and the BBC promised a ‘full’ look at the work of The Madeleine Foundation.
* During the filming of Grenville Green, Simon Hare asked to film him running a Union Jack up the flagpole in his garden. He asked Simon Hare: “What do you want to do that for?” and refused.
These were not the only points of concern raised about the film. At stake had been the reputation of the BBC for fairness, integrity and honesty. What action we take to raise these concerns formally with the BBC has not yet been resolved.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=+
Sunday lunch was at Wetherspoons, where £7.98 bought a Sunday roast, desssert of your choice and a pint of your favourite brew. As we left, a copy of 'The Madeleine McCann Case Files Volume 1' was left on Wetherspoons' bookshelves for visitors to browse.
Tony Bennett- Posts: 4229
Join date: 2009-11-25
Age: 64
Location: Harlow, Essex -
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Judge Mental on Mon Nov 29, 2010 12:54 am
To all of those who ventured out in this severe weather. * No reference whatsoever was made to the in-depth articles on our website, e.g. about the contradictions, about the private investigators, about the Fund, about Robert Murat, about the trials of Goncalo Amaral, about Marcos Aragao Correia, etc., yet these form the core of our work, and the BBC promised a ‘full’ look at the work of The Madeleine Foundation.
The BBC have obviously failed in their duty to compile a fair programme. One has not seen such blatant bias since the BBC toddled along with the Government, and muted the voices of the IRA spokespersons.
How much will the BBC be telling the general public of the latest Wikileaks revelations? It is just like watching State televison these days. Of no more use to the public than USSR televison was in the 1970s
Judge Mental- Posts: 2766
Join date: 2010-03-17
Age: 75
Location: Chambers
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
aiyoyo on Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:11 am
I especially like the new style campaign of presentations to small public groups. Well done MF members. 
The BBC has forsaken the masses and pandering only to the poltical-and social-power-of-the-day.
Duty to its licence payers/viewers has taken back seat over their sucking up to the power and influence of the elites and selected minority fortunates in society.
Social moral values and their obligation to the licence payers are secondary to their sycopantic self serving mentality. BBC sees turning out junks like celebrities big brothers and strictly come dancing type programme as worthwhile programmes for viewers licence money, and as for values fabric of the society they dont give two monkeys so long as they are not caught reporting lies. Their unbiased and unfair trading practice are aimed at the those without the power or mean to sue them or take them to court.
The BBC has forsaken the masses and pandering only to the poltical-and social-power-of-the-day.
Duty to its licence payers/viewers has taken back seat over their sucking up to the power and influence of the elites and selected minority fortunates in society.
Social moral values and their obligation to the licence payers are secondary to their sycopantic self serving mentality. BBC sees turning out junks like celebrities big brothers and strictly come dancing type programme as worthwhile programmes for viewers licence money, and as for values fabric of the society they dont give two monkeys so long as they are not caught reporting lies. Their unbiased and unfair trading practice are aimed at the those without the power or mean to sue them or take them to court.
aiyoyo- Posts: 3697
Join date: 2009-11-28
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Guest on Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:20 am
Congratulations to everyone at the MF
Guest- Guest
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
aiyoyo on Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:14 am
I am surprised the programme didnt generate more interest in MF.
aiyoyo- Posts: 3697
Join date: 2009-11-28
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
pennylane on Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:11 pm
Thank you Tony, very interesting indeed! It is clear that TMF is doing excellent work! 
"We discussed the making of three more videos for YouTube; one of them willfeature events concerning Goncalo Amaral and a draft script for thevideo was hammered out."
I think that is a splendid idea should you decide to go ahead!
"We discussed the making of three more videos for YouTube; one of them willfeature events concerning Goncalo Amaral and a draft script for thevideo was hammered out."
I think that is a splendid idea should you decide to go ahead!
pennylane- Posts: 836
Join date: 2009-12-07
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Tony Bennett on Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:37 pm
aiyoyo wrote:I am surprised the programme didn't generate more interest in MF.
By comparison with the reaction after the Rothley leaflet drop, the reaction has certainly been modest this time round.
Last time we had new books sales in the hundreds, two dozen new members, and extra hits measured in tens of thousands a day.
Three points to bear in mind:
1) Last time, the publicity involved a front-page headline in a Sunday newspaper, and major articles in big-selling tabloids, albeit the publicity was uniformly negative
2) This was a regional BBC programme
3) It was up against ITV's Coronation Street.
We're still happy about our two new members and the extra book sales though!
Tony Bennett- Posts: 4229
Join date: 2009-11-25
Age: 64
Location: Harlow, Essex -
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Cheshire Cat on Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:38 pm
Tony Bennett wrote:aiyoyo wrote:I am surprised the programme didn't generate more interest in MF.
By comparison with the reaction after the Rothley leaflet drop, the reaction has certainly been modest this time round.
Last time we had new books sales in the hundreds, two dozen new members, and extra hits measured in tens of thousands a day.
Three points to bear in mind:
1) Last time, the publicity involved a front-page headline in a Sunday newspaper, and major articles in big-selling tabloids, albeit the publicity was uniformly negative
2) This was a regional BBC programme
3) It was up against ITV's Coronation Street.
We're still happy about our two new members and the extra book sales though!
That is very good news.
Were the Gasper statements included in the 10 Reasons Leaflet that was distributed in Rothley? I can't remember.
Cheshire Cat- Posts: 496
Join date: 2010-08-16
Uncontroversial
Tony Bennett on Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:51 pm
Cheshire Cat wrote:QUOTE: Tony Bennett: "We're still happy about our two new members and the extra book sales though!" That is very good news. Were the Gaspar [sp.] statements included in the 10 Reasons leaflet that was distributed in Rothley? I can't remember.
No.
We didn't want to be too controversial.
Tony Bennett- Posts: 4229
Join date: 2009-11-25
Age: 64
Location: Harlow, Essex -
Re: Madeleine Foundation - 6th Conference - 27 & 28 November - Shropshire
Judge Mental on Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:55 pm
Tony Bennett wrote:Cheshire Cat wrote:QUOTE: Tony Bennett: "We're still happy about our two new members and the extra book sales though!" That is very good news. Were the Gaspar [sp.] statements included in the 10 Reasons leaflet that was distributed in Rothley? I can't remember.
No.
We didn't want to be too controversial.
The Gaspar statements are an essential and integral point in this case. With or without any camcordings, photography or further statements proving or disproving any wrongdoings by McCann and Payne. The very fact that these statements were made, is something that the general public should have been made aware of by the press. The police files are public documents, and withholding them is undemocratic in the extreme. The witness statements do not need to be proven in the press, but they should be printed in order to show balance and fairness to the PJ.
Judge Mental- Posts: 2766
Join date: 2010-03-17
Age: 75
Location: Chambers
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