User:William Pietri/GLF

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[edit] Relevant newspaper articles

Preparatory to any final decision on whether events in 1992 are relevant and should be included, here is a list of newspaper articles that can act as a reputable source:

• Times, November 28, 1992
• Guardian, November 28, 1992
• David Sharrock, Guardian, December 4, 1992
• David Pallister, Guardian, April 19, 1993
• David Pallister, David Beresford and Angella Johnson, Guardian, April 24, 1993
• Rachel Cooke, Sunday Times, August 29, 1993
• A A Gill, Sunday Times, August 28, 1994
• Francis Wheen, Guardian, May 7, 1997, page T5

- David | Talk 10:40, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

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So we can better understand what GLF is notable for, I have coughed up for a Lexis-Nexis search. Here are quick summaries of the articles I have found:

• August 23, 1989 - The Guardian (London) - Diary - Andrew Moncur -- One paragraph on Conservative Monday Club concerns that the Conservative Central Office is too liberal. "They are now trying to put the boot into anyone who tries to say 'Can we discuss this?',' said Gregory Lauder-Frost, chairman of the Monday Club's foreign affairs committee (and great nephew of Harry Roamin' in the Gloamin' Lauder). 'Central Office is notorious for rather liberal views and they are moving further and further to the left.'"

• March 3, 1990 - The Independent (London) - Interesting if True - Edward Steen -- In larger article, two-paragraph mention of Monday Club position on German reunification with quote from GLF.

• March 30, 1990 - The Guardian (London) - Diary - Andrew Moncur -- One-paragraph description of Conservative Monday Club internal elections, mentioning that GLF is running for chairman.

• Decemeber 10, 1990 - The Guardian (London) - Stunning last stand of the great pretender - Edward Steen -- Short quote from GLF on restoration of monarchy in Poland.

• January 29, 1991 - The Guardian (London) - Tory MPs quit Monday Club 284-word article on shake-up of Monday Club. GLF gets one-sentence mention at the end, with two-word quote.

This article was attacked by GLF in a Letter-to-the editor as being entirely wrong. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• February 24, 1991 - The Observer - Far Right takes over Monday Club - David Rose -- "The running of the Monday Club, the biggest Tory Party pressure group, has been taken over by extreme right-wingers, some of whom have close links with fascist and racist groups abroad." GLF described as "key figure " in the takeover. GLF "defended these international links yesterday, saying he supported Mr [Andries] Treurnicht "'on principle'".

This article was refuted by GLF in a right-of-reply letter 2 weeks later. David Rose is a well-known Marxist journalist. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• April 7, 1991 - The Times (London) - Cruelty to children in the media circus - Sandra Barwick -- Column. Brief quote from GLF as Monday Club's spokesman.

• October 5, 1991 - The Times (London) - Travels with my antecedents - Robin Young -- 1529-word article on Dmitri Dostoevsky, great-grandson of the writer. Brief mention of GLF as chairman of Monarchist League.

• December 5, 1991 - The Independent (London) Le Pen to meet leading Conservatives - Tim Kelsey -- Minor mention of GLF saying he won't be meeting with Le Pen.

• December 6, 1991 - The Guardian (London) - Trailing the cloak of racism: Peter Lennon finds that Jean Marie Le Pen's presence in Britain has loosened tongues - Peter Lennon -- 899 word article with GLF as a primary source. Leads with the quote in the current Wikipedia article, "'We look across the Atlantic and see an example of negroes who have gone to that country. The point is, they don't behave the way we behave. We should be nipping this thing in the bud.".

GLF was giving this response to the LA riots on behalf of the Monday Club. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• January 24, 1992 - The Independent (London) - Monday Club member is wanted for questioning - David Connett -- Based on a complaint of the Riverside Health Authority, Scotland Yard wants GLF for questioning about money missing from Charing Cross Hospital. He is "'resting, on doctor's orders'" and is unavailable for comment. "He was suspended from his job as payroll operations manager at the hospital two weeks ago following an internal investigation."

Questioning only. Health Service Journal reported that he resigned at end of December. It was suspension of him serving his notice. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• June 18, 1992 - The Guardian (London) - Diary - Andrew Moncur -- One paragraph about cancelled Conservative Monday Club dinner for Enoch Powell. The reason for cancellation is mysterious; one explanation is a plot by neo-fascists to disrupt the dinner. "The plot story has offended Gregory Lauder-Frost, formerly meetings secretary. He had already submitted his resignation but has now lodged a furious complaint with Dr Mayall about his handling of the dinner debacle."

• September 27, 1992 - The New York Times - The Royal Family Shows the Strain Of Trying to Have It Both Ways - William E Schmidt -- Long article on royal image in press; one paragraph quoting GLF as officer of Monarchist League.

• November 28, 1992 - The Independent (London) - Right-wing activist jailed for cheque thefts - Will Bennett -- GLF pleaded guilty to "eight specimen charges of theft" and was jailed for two years. Judge Frederick Marr-Johnson said GLF "had been guilty of 'very grave breaches of trust'."

Thats all his lawyers accepted, not the other unaudited irregularities. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• November 28, 1992 - The Herald (Glasgow) - Tory who kept right on stealing cheques - no byline - pg 1 -- similar, more detailed article on conviction, with more details on political activity. Mentions that "The court heard that the qualified accountant, who was earning about £20,000 a year, stole 136 cheques between April 1989 and December 1991. He admitted earlier this month eight charges of theft and asked for 128 similar offences to be considered." His lawyer says "It's that rare animal, the fraud case which is not motivated in any sense by greed." No longer a member of Monday Club, but still VP of Western Goals.

Untrue. He did not ask for anything other than the specimens to be considered, nor was evidence produced in court relating to the "128" fantasies. No mention that the specimens had already been restored either. Just shows you how biased journalists don't report the full story. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• Nobemver 28, 1992 - The Times (London) - NHS manager jailed - no byline -- Short (66-word article) on GLF's conviction.

• November 28, 1992 - The Guardian (London) - Payroll Manager Jailed - no byline -- Short (48-word article) summarizing conviction and describing GLF as a "former member of the rightwing Monday Club".

• December 4, 1992 - The Guardian (London) - Embezzler Involved in Arms Trade - David Sharrock -- 434 word article claiming GLF "was trying up to the day before he was sentenced to interest an American company in trading in Russian arms" based on an October 12th leter to an American company. Most of the equipment is WW2 vintage, but one contact "will do almost anything [...] i.e. subs, planes (Antonov 10s), ammo, tanks." Mentions that no money from his theft was recovered, and that police believe "nearly half a million pounds" of health service money were moved offshore. Also claims he applied for return of his passport to visit his ex-wife in the US, then instead went to Russia.

More fantasy. Visiting his ex-wife? Just hilarious. Anything for a story, eh?213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• April 19, 1993 - The Independent (London) - Link with Tories claimed - Martin Whitfield -- Dispute between Western Goals Institute and the Conservative Party over how close the relationship is. Previous year's letter to the Independent quoted. "The letter was also signed by Gregory Lauder-Frost, vice-president of Western Goals, a former active member of the Monday Club, another right-wing Conservative organisation. Lauder-Frost was jailed for two years last November for stealing pounds 100,000 from Riverside Health Authority."

• April 19, 1993 - The Guardian (London) -Hain Alleges Tory Links With Suspect - David Pallister -- Longer article on same topic. Apparently another WGI VP, Clive Derby-Lewis, was arrested for involvement in an assassination. "[...] he was invited over by Western Goals and spoke to a meeting of the Monday Club foreign affairs committee in the House of Lords. [...] It was organised by Gregory Lauder-Frost, a Western Goals vice-president and former Monday Club official who was jailed last year for embezzling more than pounds 100,000 from the Riverside Health Authority in London.

Nope. It was organised by AVR Smith. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• April 24, 1993 - The Guardian (London) - Guns, Goons, and Western Goals - David Pallister, David Beresford, Angella Johnson -- long article on Clive Derby-Lweis and relationship with WGI. Mentions GLF in connection with Monday Club takeover. One paragraph on his crime, prison sentence, and arms trade activities.

Fantasy article. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• August 18, 1993 - The Guardian (London) - The Stain on St George's Flag - Patrick Wright -- Long article on "This England". Mentions Stuart Millson's activity and history. "Millson's leafy English lane also takes in Western Goals, a body which has been in some disrepair since its leader, Gregory Lauder-Frost, was jailed for defrauding the NHS, but which aimed to infiltrate fascists into the Conservative Party."

Nope. Not its leader. More fantasy. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• August 29, 1993 - The Sunday Times (London) - Don't Mention the Waugh - Rachel Cooke -- Column on "wannabe poshes". GLF listed as one example. Claims he lived a double life: "Months later, 41-year-old Gregory Lauder-Frost was up before the Bench for the theft of Pounds 111,000 from the National Health Service. Lauder-Frost, a payroll manager for Riverside Health Authority, lived in a rented flat overlooking a Pimlico pub, and drove an elderly Volkswagen. [...] But he had another life. About 350 miles away in Duns, Berwickshire, he dabbled in the property market and drove a vintage car, in which he swept through the Borders villages in cape and country tweeds. Locals said he behaved as if he was the laird. He received a two-year sentence."

More crap. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• August 28, 1994 - The Sunday Times (London) - A A Gill - Out of kilter -- Two-sentence mention: "You may have forgotten Gregory Lauder-Frost, then 41, the part-time right-wing politico and full-time NHS payroll administrator who got two years for embezzling Pounds 111,642.21 from a west London Health Authority in 1992. But in Duns in the Borders they still remember him with a wry smile as the young laird who used to flash about in an Inverness cape like a character out of John Buchan."

Lauder-Frost put the boot into this in a subsequent letter. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• March 31, 1997 - The Guardian (London) - Liberal France vents anger at Le Pen - John Lichfield Strasbourg -- One-sentence mention: "From Britain came a fulsome message of praise from Gregory Lauder-Frost, of the Western Goals Foundation - described fictitiously to the FN-delegates as a Conservative Party group."

• May 7, 1997 - The Guardian (London) - Wheen's World - Francis Wheen -- Column. Quote from GLF letter to Daily Telegraph. Mentions his connections to Western Goals and its connections to various unsavory characters. Describes GLF "'radical'" views on immigrants. Mentions Russian business ventures: tea rooms, arms trade. Says GLF was suspended for "bringing the NHS into disrepute". Describes guilty plea, conviction, police suspicions of undiscovered embezzlement, use of funds in arms trade.

Notorious Marxist journalist who wrote what was described as the most adulatory biography of Karl Marx ever written. This article was he subject of a formal complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

Hopefully more information will advance the discussion. Note that this doesn't include his letters to the editor, of which there were a number. --William Pietri 04:54, 15 June 2006 (UTC).

• Newspapers do not carry anything like the full story. So by only quoting them any article must be absolutely biased. Constantly citing The Guardian and The Independent on someone like GLF must be categorised as ridiculous. 213.122.50.183 09:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

• • Hi, numerical editor. I appreciate your comments. Jumping into the middle of people's posts is considered poor form here; I'll move your comments into a block later unless you have a chance to get to it first. I understand your concern about the political bias of particular newspapers, and I agree that in using these sources we should be careful to pull out facts rather than opinions (except where we are explicitly demonstrating the fact that somebody has an opinion). If you have other reliable sources that we should use, please do post them; the more material we have, the better an article we can make. --William Pietri 16:05, 26 June 2006 (UTC)