The Blacksmith Bureau

The Blacksmith Bureau

Thursday, 26 April 2012
Over four and a half years!


That’s how long it has taken to establish an investigation free from the malign influence of the media imported so irresponsibly by Kate and Gerry McCann on May 4 2007. That’s how long it took until the last vestiges of spin from their spokesman – as against factual responses to questions – were extinguished in late 2011, after the attempt to "manage" the Scotland Yard officers’ visit to Barcelona. Now, finally, we have a situation where the investigators can do their work unhindered.
The Bureau, like the McCanns, welcomed the Scotland Yard initiative in early 2011 because it had campaigned for years for the investigation, terminated by the McCanns' refusal to remain in Portugal and their friends’ refusal to return to that country, to be completed. In particular we had pointed to the sheer absurdity of the Portuguese archiving report attempting to provide “conclusions” to an investigation which, as the Reconstruction Section in that report made perfectly clear, was incomplete and inconclusive due to the nine’s failure to co-operate in completing and concluding it.
Choice
Had the McCanns, in summer 2008, accepted with good grace what they call their “exoneration”and what the report in a sub-section called their “failure to demonstrate their innocence”, and continued to search for their daughter with their employees from then on there would have been little ground for disagreement or criticism. Such relative silence about themselves might even have led to their reputations recovering with the passage of time.

They did not do so. Their first action on the day of the archiving of the case was not to come forward with their plans to continue the search for Madeleine McCann. Their very first action was to spin and distort that archiving summary in their own favour via their repellent mouthpiece , including their disgraceful and completely invented story that the summary had “mocked” the efforts of the Portuguese police.
As they began so they have continued until late 2011 – promoting their own version of events and their own innocence of any wrong-doing using spokesmen, media interviews, television documentaries, local and national news editors, leaks, publishers, lawyers, libel lawyers and a book written by Kate McCann with the latters' acknowledged assistance. This effort has accomplished precisely zero for the child but has done a great deal for the parents, in particular for that fashionable objective known as "reputation management".
That phase is now over and the police of both countries are investigating matters in a less contaminated climate, one in which, for example, Goncalo Amaral was allowed to contribute to Panorama without the “disgraced” and other epithets that the McCanns’ lawyers have previously insisted upon. Amaral’s theories were also put forward to the British public factually for the first time – and of course can now be publicly repeated by quoting the words of the BBC without threat of libel. That is in great contrast to the climate in 2007 when the first Panorama was made with the co-operation and and input of nice Mr Smethurst and his Dr Strangelove ambition to electronically overwrite the public's memories regarding the possible guilt of his clients. Pretty good, eh? Five years to get the sort of more or less balanced programme that we had a right to expect in 2007.
What does this mean for the future of the investigation?
Let us give you an example. Andy Redwood, the officer in charge of the Yard review just happens to look and sound on video like a Somerset yokel searching under his mattress for his cider jug. Unlike Goncalo Amaral, however, he is not going to be subjected to the disgusting attempts to ridicule and demean him using photographs chosen deliberately to that end; Mr Redwood, for all we know, may live on a diet of pasties, sheep feed and apple cores but his lunches are not going to be photographed to demonstrate what a lazy and gluttonous yokel he really is, are they? Nor will Mr Redwood be falsely accused by BBC East Midlands of saying "fuck the McCanns", even though he may one day find the words springing to his lips. No, the press will not be used this time to destroy a police enemy.
The case is not sub judice but for the first time the normal rules of restraint about a current police investigation – one being conducted in both countries – are now expected to be followed by those involved and their publicity contacts, at least in the UK; that means that the cause of justice will not be continually subverted either by anonymous selective public attacks on the investigators by the families of those involved nor by “reputation management” agencies anonymously defending those who can find the money to employ them. Hooray for that.
Hoping for the best
Apart from the all-knowing "whitewash" brigade all of us, surely, can welcome the investigation itself, the way it is going and the possibility that it will get at the truth unhindered. If, for the very first time, it “demonstrates the innocence of the parents”, no easy task, then three more cheers.

In early 2011 we welcomed the review but said this, an expression of our opinion: however many thousands of “leads” were followed up, however many “sightings” analysed, the investigators would eventually find themselves coming back to the small area of Praia da Luz encompassing the Batista supermarket, the Ocean Club and its apartments and the adjoining streets, at the perimeter of which the trail went cold – for ever. Sooner or later, we said, they would be driven back to the same unanswered questions that the archiving report so concisely referred to and the same individuals who were questioned before because there is no-one else to question and nowhere else to go.
Of course we could be wrong but that remains our opinion.
A year has elapsed and it is manifest that the Scotland Yard review has turned up absolutely nothing of significance outside that perimeter, in accordance with our forecast. Welcome to the McCann case, Andy. At least you can eat your lunch in peace during the coming year.

Very interesting!

I like that part:

That phase is now over and the police of both countries are investigating matters in a less contaminated climate, one in which, for example, Goncalo Amaral was allowed to contribute to Panorama without the “disgraced” and other epithets that the McCanns’ lawyers have previously insisted upon. Amaral’s theories were also put forward to the British public factually for the first time – and of course can now be publicly repeated by quoting the words of the BBC without threat of libel.

Mr Redwood, for all we know, may live on a diet of pasties, sheep feed and apple cores but his lunches are not going to be photographed to demonstrate what a lazy and gluttonous yokel he really is, are they? Nor will Mr Redwood be falsely accused by BBC East Midlands of saying "fuck the McCanns", even though he may one day find the words springing to his lips.

Priceless prose!

maive wrote:Very interesting!

I like that part:

That phase is now over and the police of both countries are investigating matters in a less contaminated climate, one in which, for example, Goncalo Amaral was allowed to contribute to Panorama without the “disgraced” and other epithets that the McCanns’ lawyers have previously insisted upon. Amaral’s theories were also put forward to the British public factually for the first time – and of course can now be publicly repeated by quoting the words of the BBC without threat of libel.

Has anyone heard how the "viewership" compared with previous shows on the same subject?

blacksmith an excellent piece, if im ever in your neck of the woods, ill treat you to dinner. (unphotographed of course).

Another insightful article by Blacksmith, not sure I am any more convinced that the floodgates will open or stalemate will continue, we shall see.

I must admit I am not inclined to rejoice at seeing the prog - a show which bashes the Portugese, the PJ and Amaral, gives misleading impressions of the findings of the dogs and does not for one second present anything that supports the alternative to an abduction. How can we welcome an investigation that seems only to focus on an abduction - that finds 195 fresh leads with which to pressure and further bash the Portugese. A prog that ws impartial would be welcome these days but all we get is a card of colour samples - all in whiter than whitewash.

The best leads in this case are the two that belong to Eddie and Keela.

A Blacksmith appeal written shortly ago on TMCF ( he is a member):

"An Appeal

The Bureau wrote this week that, for the first time, we have a situation where the police are carrying out their work without the continual interference by interested elements using the media which did so much to wreck the first investigation.

This situation, as we wrote, is relatively new. Until late last year spin was still being used in the UK by an anonymous source acting for unknown interests claiming to know the reasons for the Yard officers’ visits to Barcelona. Somebody has stopped that for the time being and the media are largely accepting the normal conventions of behaviour applying during an important investigation.

Due to the anniversary of the child’s disappearance there is, of course, a blip in the amount of publicity which in due time will die down. Kate and Gerry McCann will, of course, wish to go on giving interviews to the public for the foreseeable future as is their right, although I think their own lawyers will be urging care and restraint on them for the good of the justice system and, of course, to avoid any possibility of fuelling tension between Britain and Portugal which might, once again, interrupt the investigation.

I believe this relative freedom from anonymous briefing, character attacks and other attempts to influence the course of justice is worth fighting for, whatever one’s opinions as to the eventual outcome of the inquiry.

As a result I would make this appeal.

If any UK resident reads in the UK press material based on information clearly provided by a spokesman or other professional source anonymously which purports to have information about the activities or progress or conclusions of the Scotland Yard team which have not been given by Scotland Yard itself in public statements then I would ask them to take the following action.

After considering carefully whether such a report really does meet these criteria, and bearing in mind the police workload, can you send a brief note including a link to the material to the Andy Redwood team at the address on their website or by email – in the body of the email and not by attachment. Any communication should be as radically short as possible: it is the link we want them to look at, not our views on the case. Identification would probably be better than anonymity but it is not critical, as long as the material is accurate, linked and sent in good faith.

This will be of very considerable value to the investigation, first of all in identifying if their own team is leaking selectively in this year of Leveson; secondly for the team to identify the likely beneficiaries of such spin; thirdly to assess what the reasons might be for such an attempt to interfere with the investigation in the UK. It may well be that such material might play a role in complaints about specific media or Reputation Management organizations.

I am not a member of any other forums. Could I ask those who agree with this initiative to post it on any other forums to which they belong or link it through social media which, once again, I do not use.

Best wishes and many thanks."

Is there a leak in sy or is someone(cm) pretending to be a police spokesman again

It's as always an articulate and thought-provoking article by Blacksmith, but I question the optimism he appears to have developed concerning the Scotland Yard review or whatever it is supposed to be, because an investigation it definitely ain't. In fact it is becoming increasingly clear that Scotland Yard are following the same 'brief' as the succession of so-called 'investigators' hired by the parents or persons acting for them since 2007 and that brief states very clearly that abduction is the only game in town; the parents and their friends are off limits. No sign of a real investigation at all then - more like another PR exercise. How else can one explain the head of the investigation even appearing in a television programme, let alone spouting the rubbish he came out with - or are the police playing a blinder? Frankly I'm starting to get the impression that far from playing a blinder, they are turning a blind eye. All kudos to the Portuguese for refusing to take part in this farce; take the parents and accomplices out of the equation and there's nothing left to investigate - no matter how much money is thrown at the case.

T4two wrote:It's as always an articulate and thought-provoking article by Blacksmith, but I question the optimism he appears to have developed concerning the Scotland Yard review or whatever it is supposed to be, because an investigation it definitely ain't. In fact it is becoming increasingly clear that Scotland Yard are following the same 'brief' as the succession of so-called 'investigators' hired by the parents or persons acting for them since 2007 and that brief states very clearly that abduction is the only game in town; the parents and their friends are off limits. No sign of a real investigation at all then - more like another PR exercise. How else can one explain the head of the investigation even appearing in a television programme, let alone spouting the rubbish he came out with - or are the police playing a blinder? Frankly I'm starting to get the impression that far from playing a blinder, they are turning a blind eye. All kudos to the Portuguese for refusing to take part in this farce; take the parents and accomplices out of the equation and there's nothing left to investigate - no matter how much money is thrown at the case.

Totally agree - it seems that we are never to get to the bottom of this case. Not even with our own "Boys in Blue" - what now for credibility. I would be ashamed if I was in any way connected with the Met.

It is as it has always been expected - what we won't accept by PR and media persuasion - we will be made to accept by Government decree.

I am very surprised at Blacksmith.

Another post from Blacksmith on TMCF to precise his previous post:



"...It is extremely irritating to hear such a naive presentation as that given by Mr Redwood. Just as it is irritating to observe all the old sob-story brigade repeating their stuff in the press.

But is doesn't matter, really. In 2007 there was all for certain people to play for. What the media people wrote and said mattered because it played its part first by destroying the credibility of the Portuguese police and then by trying to convince the UK public of the parents' innocence as a way to hinder the granting of any European Arrest Warrant that the Portuguese might apply for.

Now the sob-story brigade have nothing to say that they didn't say five years ago - nothing to add to events since then. There are no wicked foreign cops to blame and conjure up chauvinist media flames as long as the Portuguese authorities wisely stay away from the affair.

So whatever the media shout they haven't got a target to attack and nothing whatever to achieve! Never under-estimate David Cameron, even if you dislike him: by agreeing to the parents' requests for a review he has removed yet another lightning conductor. So, no Amaral to blame, no dodgy foreigners to blame, no lack of response by the police to blame, no inaction by polititicans to blame, no coppers biased against the McCanns to blame, no shortage of police money to blame, no dismissal of sightings to blame...

In other words we are very much better off than we were in 2007 and, in my opinion, than in the intervening years when Kate & Gerry McCann were able to defend their own interests by constantly inventing obstacles to the truth coming out. It really doesn't matter what is said on the tabloids - as long as it has not been fed to them secretly to damage the Yard inquiry while appearing not to do so.

The latter is what I am hoping our own actions can help prevent."

frencheuropean wrote:Another post from Blacksmith on TMCF to precise his previous post:



"...It is extremely irritating to hear such a naive presentation as that given by Mr Redwood. Just as it is irritating to observe all the old sob-story brigade repeating their stuff in the press.

But is doesn't matter, really. In 2007 there was all for certain people to play for. What the media people wrote and said mattered because it played its part first by destroying the credibility of the Portuguese police and then by trying to convince the UK public of the parents' innocence as a way to hinder the granting of any European Arrest Warrant that the Portuguese might apply for.

Now the sob-story brigade have nothing to say that they didn't say five years ago - nothing to add to events since then. There are no wicked foreign cops to blame and conjure up chauvinist media flames as long as the Portuguese authorities wisely stay away from the affair.

So whatever the media shout they haven't got a target to attack and nothing whatever to achieve! Never under-estimate David Cameron, even if you dislike him: by agreeing to the parents' requests for a review he has removed yet another lightning conductor. So, no Amaral to blame, no dodgy foreigners to blame, no lack of response by the police to blame, no inaction by polititicans to blame, no coppers biased against the McCanns to blame, no shortage of police money to blame, no dismissal of sightings to blame...

In other words we are very much better off than we were in 2007 and, in my opinion, than in the intervening years when Kate & Gerry McCann were able to defend their own interests by constantly inventing obstacles to the truth coming out. It really doesn't matter what is said on the tabloids - as long as it has not been fed to them secretly to damage the Yard inquiry while appearing not to do so.

The latter is what I am hoping our own actions can help prevent."

He hasn't read today's Sun editorial then. SY have achieved nothing tangible that they have disclosed yet the Portugese are still to blame.

frencheuropean wrote:
Another post from Blacksmith on TMCF to precise his previous post:



"...It is extremely irritating to hear such a naive presentation as that given by Mr Redwood. Just as it is irritating to observe all the old sob-story brigade repeating their stuff in the press.

But is doesn't matter, really. In 2007 there was all for certain people to play for. What the media people wrote and said mattered because it played its part first by destroying the credibility of the Portuguese police and then by trying to convince the UK public of the parents' innocence as a way to hinder the granting of any European Arrest Warrant that the Portuguese might apply for.

Now the sob-story brigade have nothing to say that they didn't say five years ago - nothing to add to events since then. There are no wicked foreign cops to blame and conjure up chauvinist media flames as long as the Portuguese authorities wisely stay away from the affair.

So whatever the media shout they haven't got a target to attack and nothing whatever to achieve! Never under-estimate David Cameron, even if you dislike him: by agreeing to the parents' requests for a review he has removed yet another lightning conductor. So, no Amaral to blame, no dodgy foreigners to blame, no lack of response by the police to blame, no inaction by polititicans to blame, no coppers biased against the McCanns to blame, no shortage of police money to blame, no dismissal of sightings to blame...

In other words we are very much better off than we were in 2007 and, in my opinion, than in the intervening years when Kate & Gerry McCann were able to defend their own interests by constantly inventing obstacles to the truth coming out. It really doesn't matter what is said on the tabloids - as long as it has not been fed to them secretly to damage the Yard inquiry while appearing not to do so.

The latter is what I am hoping our own actions can help prevent."


He hasn't read today's Sun editorial then. SY have achieved nothing tangible that they have disclosed yet the Portugese are still to blame.


Chris

I have to agree with you on this - it seems it's still the fault of the Portuguese because they won't re-open the the Investigation.

As I mentioned earlier, I think Cameron should put a D Notice on the Review to stop the SY team commenting or any Press reporting about the McCanns and Madeleine until the Review is completed and findingd then made public.