When Tony Blair Meets the Real World

CounterPunch - Jun 30/July 1, 2007
http://www.counterpunch.org/kamaali06302007.html

Envoy for the Quartet:

When Tony Blair Meets the Real World

By MOHAMMAD KAMAALI

As Tony Blair left Downing Street, leaving Britain's Prime Ministership to his long time rival and co-leader of the Labour Party, Gordon Brown, the protesters outside Blair's office were greeted with the news that Blair had just been appointed as the new "Middle East Envoy" for the Quartet (US/EU/UN/Russia).

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EU agrees with US on sharing of citizens' private data

Message to Franco Frattini, Vice President of the European Commission

To: franco.frattini@ec.europa.eu
Subject: News report: US-EU airline data accord reached
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007

Mr Frattini

I have just read this news report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6246938.stm

Could you please provide details of the agreement reached with the US on the retention of airline passenger data?

Could you also provide details of the agreement reached over SWIFT financial transaction data?

Are both these agreements in accordance with EU law on data privacy?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

Internet Access for US Citizens

Message to John Kneuer, US Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information

To: jkneuer@ntia.doc.gov
Subject: News article
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007


Mr Kneuer

I have just read this news article.

Could you please explain how the U.S. has fallen so far behind other developed countries in providing Internet access to its citizens?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson



The Huffington Post June 26, 2007
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/bush-official-in-shoutin_b_53801.html?view=print

Timothy Karr

Bush Official in 'Shouting Match' with Open Access Supporters

The Bush administration's top telecommunications official reportedly tried to "shout down" net neutrality and open access supporters after they called him out for spinning America's Internet market as a wonderland of competition and consumer choice.

John Kneuer, assistant secretary of commerce and head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), "quickly lost his temper and began shouting" after an audience of technology experts pressed him to explain how the U.S. had fallen so far behind other developed countries in providing Internet access to citizens.

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Cadbury Schweppes cuts staff but won't reduce pay for board members

E-mail to Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury Schweppes, asking what cuts will be made to the pay and benefits of board members

To: todd.stitzer@csplc.com
Subject: News report
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007


Mr Stitzer

I see from this news report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6766159.stm

that you are cutting Cadbury's staff by 15% to save costs.

As part of the cost savings, what reductions in pay and benefits will be made for you and your Board colleagues?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson


Reply from Cadbury Schweppes

To: Marcus Williamson
Subject: RE: News report
From: "Bolton, Katie"
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:35:39 -0600
Cc: "Mayer, Linda" ,
"Li, Sue Mei"

Dear Mr Williamson,

I am replying to your email on behalf of Mr Stitzer and Cadbury Schweppes plc. We held an investor and analyst seminar on 19th June to share our plans for the future of our company once we have completed the separation of our beverages business. At that seminar we said we would be submitting new incentive plans to shareowners later in the year with the specific aim of ensuring they are well aligned with our new financial targets for the period 2008-2011. In order to retain talented managers to run our business we need to pay competitively with our peers in the fast moving consumer goods sector and the FTSE100.

I can reassure you that the cost cutting exercise to which you refer will affect all levels of our business. We recently announced that 10% of our top 100 managers would be leaving the business as a result and that we would be moving our Global headquarters from Mayfair to Uxbridge.

Yours sincerely,

Ms K.Bolton

British Humorists in mass resignation

British Humorists in mass resignation

In a surprise announcement, several of Britain's leading satirists have announced their collective resignation.

Familiar comedy faces - including Rory Bremner, John Bird, Armando Iannucci, Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Thomas and Jon Oliver - have announced that they are quitting the business. The news came in an open letter published today in several daily newspapers.

"It's been increasingly difficult for us to do our job in the face of the actions of both our own government and others. Quite frankly, the competition is too great and we have to accept that. It is with regret that we announce our resignation from the satire business in order to pursue other, more productive projects."

"Years of experience"

The letter continues, "Between us, we have 136 years of experience in the satire business but even we could not have come up with a masterpiece such as the so-called 'push for peace' during last year's Israeli war on Lebanon -the media's name for George Bush and Tony Blair's joint effort to delay a ceasefire. When you're being out-performed by what are ostensibly news providers, it's time to raise your white flag -we just hope that George Bush let's us."

'Last straw'

A source close to Bremner claimed that the comedians had been involved in private discussions for several months but that recent events had cemented their views.

'It was Blair's appointment as peace envoy to the Middle East that was the final straw,' said a friend of Jon Oliver, 'I mean, seriously, how's anyone supposed to compete with material like that? As a gag it's inspired but it's not a gag, it's reality.'

The resignation is likely to put holes in the schedules of both the BBC and Channel 4. Production was due to start on a new series of 'Bremner, Bird & Fortune' at the end of August while Marcus Brigstocke was booked to appear on Radio 4's 'The Now Show' this Friday.

Ian Hislop is believed to be unaffected by the action.

http://members.boardhost.com/DT3rd/msg/1182967424.html

Chequers and Admiralty House

Message to Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary

To: gus.odonnell@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Subject: Chequers and Admiralty House
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007


Mr O'Donnell

Could you please inform what amount of monthly rent will be paid by Mr & Mrs Blair for the use of Chequers?

What amount of monthly rent will be paid by Mr Prescott for the use of the Admiralty House apartment?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

Robert Zoellick

Message to Suzanne Folsom, Head of the World Bank Department of Institutional Integrity (INT)

To: sfolsom@worldbank.org
Subject: Robert Zoellick
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 01:40:07 +0200


Hello Suzanne

How do you feel about the choice of Robert Zoellick as a potential World Bank President?

In 1998 he was a signatory to the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) letter to Bill Clinton, advocating war against Iraq. James Wolfowitz, current World Bank head, was also a signatory to this letter. As a pro-war neo-con he is no different from Wolfowitz.

http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm

He was a share-holder and consultant to Enron, the energy company which went
bankrupt in 2002.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/business/2002/enron/21c.stm

He was a key figure in the American WTO case against the EU which sought to impose GM crops and GM food on Europe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3025217.stm

As these three brief examples demonstrate he is certainly not the person to restore trust in the World Bank.

The solution to the current leadership crisis is an open, transparent and democratic selection process which emphasises the candidate's merits, rather than political connections, as the criteria for the job.

Look forward to hearing from you with your comments.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

HPV vaccine

To: caroline.flint@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Subject: News report
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:58:53 +0200


Ms Flint

I have just read a BBC news report in which the DoH advocates the use of a vaccine for HPV.

Could you please provide details of the ingredients of this vaccine? In particular, does it contain mercury, aluminium or animal-derived ingredients?

Could you please also provide details of the safety testing which has already been carried out on the vaccine?

Which company would be producing the vaccine used by the NHS?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

National Audit Office report into Al-Yamamah arms deal

Message to the Head of the National Audit Office (NAO), John Bourne, about the Al Yamamah Arms deal between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia

To: john.bourn@nao.gsi.gov.uk
Subject: NAO report
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:11:01 +0200


Mr Bourn

Could you please provide me with a copy of the NAO report into the Al Yamamah arms deal?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

Reply from National Audit Office, whose motto is "Helping the nation spend wisely"

To: "Marcus Williamson"
Subject: NAO report into Al-Yamamah arms deal
From: Tara-Lee.PLATT@nao.gsi.gov.uk
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:37:54 +0100
Cc: FOI.Requests@nao.gsi.gov.uk

Dear Mr Williamson,

Thank you for your request for information. I have been unexpectedly away for the office so have been unable to respond until today. In future, please send requests for information to foi@nao.gsi.gov.uk to ensure your requests get dealt with promptly.

Our position on the release of the NAO report into the Al-Yamamah arms deal has not changed since your previous request, FOI-101. For your convenience I have attached a copy of our response to that request.

Yours Sincerely,

Tara-Lee Platt


Tara-Lee Platt
Information Officer

National Audit Office
BM45
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
Victoria
London
SW1W 9SP

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7798 7824
Email: tara-lee.platt@nao.gsi.gov.uk

Fax: +44 (0)20 7828 5401

Web: http://www.nao.org.uk/

Helping the nation spend wisely

Gordon Brown spins the same old security yarn

To: gordon.brown@hm-treasury.gov.uk
Subject: News article
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:23:08 +0200


Mr Brown

What is your reaction to this news article?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article2611723.ece

Leading article: Mr Brown spins the same old security yarn

Published: 04 June 2007

How dispiriting a start is this? Even before he has moved into Number 10, Gordon Brown is already playing the national security card. Not only this, but he is using the same well-worn techniques as his predecessor to ensure that he gets his message out on his terms and no one else's. In a series of Sunday newspaper reports - attributed, of course, to well-placed sources or none - he let it be known that he yields to no one, including the present incumbent, in his determination to crack down on terrorism.

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