UPDATED 11.15 HOURS, 18.09.07
FORMER BBC journalist and government media executive Clarence Mitchell has become Gerry and Kate McCann’s new spokesman, replacing Justine McGuinness.
His appointment brings a wealth of media experience, and a bulging media and government contact book, to the couple’s campaign to find Madeleine.
Mr Mitchell is not being paid by the McCanns – his salary is being met by an anonymous benefactor who he will join once the Madeleine case is resolved.
Today (Tuesday), he released his first official statement, which The Resident reproduces here in full.
“I am extremely grateful to Kate and Gerry for asking me to return to become their official spokesman. When the proposal was put to me, with the full support of their legal team and their financial backers, I had absolutely no hesitation in accepting it.
“I am therefore proud to be able to help them deal with the pressure of the continuing, immense international media interest in their situation. I will also be working with the media here to ease any inconvenience faced by the local community in Rothley.
“Clearly, however, given the inter-Governmental sensitivities surrounding Kate and Gerry’s case, my position as an impartial civil servant working for the British Government became untenable from the moment I accepted the role. To speak freely on their behalf, therefore, I have resigned from my role as Director of the Central Office of Information’s Media Monitoring Unit in Whitehall.
“More importantly, I have done so simply because I feel so strongly that they are the innocent victims of a heinous crime that I am prepared to forego my career in Government service to assist them.
“Therefore, I wish to stress that from now on I am in no way speaking on behalf of the British Government. I will simply be representing Kate and Gerry as a private individual, one who believes utterly that they are innocent of any involvement in the disappearance, let alone the death, of their daughter Madeleine.
“I spent nearly a full month with Kate and Gerry in Portugal whilst representing the Foreign and Commonwealth Office between May and June – sometimes I was with them for up to 14 hours a day. During that time I never saw or heard anything that gave me cause for concern or suspicion. All I witnessed was a loving family that had been plunged into the most dreadful situation, and two parents trying to cope amidst their loss. To suggest that they somehow harmed Madeleine, accidentally or otherwise, is as ludicrous as it is nonsensical. Indeed, it would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious.
“Because of the legal position in Portugal I cannot go into further detail, suffice to say there are entirely innocent explanations for anything the police may have found during their enquiries and the McCanns are very happy to continue their co-operation with the Portuguese authorities to establish the truth of what has happened to Madeleine.
“The focus must now move away from the rampant, unfounded and inaccurate speculation of recent days to return to the child at the very centre of this: Madeleine. The task is simply to find her. Kate and Gerry are again urging everyone to keep looking as they firmly believe she could still be alive.
“Finally I would like to take this opportunity to remind media organisations around the world, in particular television stations and picture desk editors, that Madeleine’s brother and sister, Sean and Amelie, were brought back to England to resume, in privacy, as normal a life as possible under the circumstances. Kate and Gerry again urge you not to use their image in your coverage, as the privacy of infants must surely remain paramount.”
1″>news
