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Liam Fox 'Will Not Resign' Over Werritty Links, As Investigation Continues

Liam Fox

Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 12/10/11 09:48 Updated: 11/12/11 10:12

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Liam Fox has said that he will not resign from the cabinet amid fresh allegations about his relationship with his former flatmate Adam Werritty.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday Fox insisted the cabinet secretary is continuing to look into the allegations.

Fox earlier denied he had anything to hide amid claims journalists were misled about the circumstances of a burglary at his home.

The defence secretary confirmed reports that a friend had been staying at his London property when thieves broke in during the general election campaign, but stressed it was not Werritty.

He added that he was not sure why the media had been given the impression he was alone.

"As I told the police at the time, a friend was staying in the guest room," Fox said in a statement. "My wife was stranded in Hong Kong due to the ash cloud. For the sake of clarity, it wasn't Adam Werritty. I was a victim of a violent crime and I'm appalled at being portrayed as having something to hide. We're trying to establish why the media were given the impression I was alone."

Fox was also defended by Chris Grayling, the employment minister and the defence secretary's former campaign head during the 2005 Conservative leadership contest.

"I have not seen anything emerge in any of this that gives me rise to believe that Liam has done anything substantially wrong that would call his position into question," Grayling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

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Liam Fox has said that he will not resign from the cabinet amid fresh allegations about his relationship with his former flatmate Adam Werritty. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday Fox insisted the ...
Liam Fox has said that he will not resign from the cabinet amid fresh allegations about his relationship with his former flatmate Adam Werritty. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday Fox insisted the ...
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There is absolutely no doubt that Liam Fox is an excellent Secretary of State and MP. He's been on the front bench for some time, having earned high esteem from colleagues and constituents. But what should we make of Werritty?

 
 
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coiaorguk
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13:50 on 13/10/2011
This information comes straight from a source with direct access to the Cabinet Office investigation into Fox’s relationship with Werritty.

The Cabinet Office will only look for direct evidence of a little grubby money-making for introductions to Fox. But what is actually happening is much worse and much more serious.

Who paid for Werritty’s eighteen overseas trips with Liam Fox and his stays in exclusive hotels in the World’s most expensive destinations? What does he live on?

The answer is that Werritty is paid by representatives of far right US and Israeli sources to influence the British defence secretary. It has been discussed within the MOD whether Werritty is being – knowingly or otherwise – run as an agent of influence by the CIA or Mossad. That is why the chiefs of the armed forces are so concerned, and why there is today much gagging at the stitch up within the Cabinet Office.

That the British Defence Minister holds frequent unrecorded meetings in the Ministry and abroad with somebody promoting the interests of foreign powers is much, much worse than a little cash-grubbing. That the person representing the foreign powers is actually present, apparently to all as a ministerial adviser, at meetings of Fox with important representatives of foreign nations is simply appalling.

That we are being so easily misdirected to a narrow cash question – and that the media have followed that misdirection – is ludicrous.
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DaveJohnWard
69 Fans
 
19:37 on 12/10/2011
The only 'error of judgement' was getting found out. Same as the expenses scandal, cosying up to the Murdochs and every other example of MPs abusing their public office to help themselves and their friends.
No wonder we have no faith in politicians any more
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Komodo ss
1 Fans
16:21 on 12/10/2011
I don't think the media have really cottoned on to the Atlantic Bridge connection. This "charity", started by Fox, financially underwritten by (among others), Michael Lewis, chairman of BICOM, was run by Werrity from Fox's address. It was forced to close last week, shortly before it would have been closed by the Charity Commissioners, as its charitable activities were nil. It seems to have existed solely to pay for rightwing jollies to the US. BICOM? The Britain Israel Communications & Research Centre; closely supported by AIPAC in the US, whose aims it shares.

Fox is one of the ~80% of Conservative MP's who are members of Conservative Friends of Israel. BICOM, and its primary fund source, Poju Zabludowicz, are also close to this organisation.

Zabludowicz derived some of his wealth from Soltam, the Israeli arms manufacturer founded by his father, and is now a major player in Israeli real estate. He is close to Netanyahu, and to David Cameron, whose election campaign he funded to the tune of £15,000.

If I were Cameron, I too would be trying to spin the Werrity story as a regrettable lapse by an upright minister.

But that is not what it is.
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floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
855 Fans
01:57 on 13/10/2011
Nice comment, KomodoSS, I'll be your first fan for this one, and I look forward to seeing more!

Turns out other 'advisors' were Atlantic Bridge (started by Fox, Werrity ran it), like Bertin (who is Cameron's press secretary now).  She was with AB 2003-4 as a researcher; her £25K salary was paid by Pfizer.  Fox was  Shadow Health Secretary (1999–2003), Cons. Party Chair (2003–05), Shadow Foreign Secretary (2005) and now Shadow Defence (2005-10). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/11/david-cameron-aide-liam-fox?newsfeed=true    

There won't be any disclosure of what AB did with the money (despite being panned for not doing charity) because no one is investigating it.  I'd bet this is a good way to spread around money.  Moreover, Werrity ran AB and got a hefty salary from it. 

Clearly the intent was to funnel money through AB to Werrity under the guise of a charity, and avoid those pesky interest disclosures.  The question remains...who did pay for the travel, and who paid for those business cards (wanna bet the latter were a gift from Fox?)
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Komodo ss
1 Fans
10:42 on 13/10/2011
Thx, Floodberg.

AB has now transferred its er, "charitable" funds to "another charity" with similar objectives. This may be Atlantic Bridge Inc, the not entirely separate US end of the link with major corporate - and other countries' lobbyists. Which is currently being investigated too, but has not yet shut down.
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Tim Haselden
An Enemy of Rupert Murdoch, since 1984.
291 Fans
 
15:19 on 12/10/2011
Oh yes he will. More is coming out about this "suspicious" relationship with Mr.Werritty. If only as an example of amazingly crap judgement he should really go.
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werba
205 Fans
16:44 on 12/10/2011
He should, of course, but I don't think he will. I would love to be proved wrong.
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Tim Haselden
An Enemy of Rupert Murdoch, since 1984.
291 Fans
 
21:20 on 12/10/2011
I hope so too werba, this evenings revelations may add to the dirty laundry being aired in public. He may have to go , simply as being an embarasment.
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ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
2564 Fans
12:49 on 12/10/2011
Well he would say that wouldn't he?
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carefulwhistle
1 Fans
12:02 on 12/10/2011
just on the werrity charity scam alone, and please be my guest to seek info on it, the 99 % of the population who are honest would have been sacked and it would not hold water in a tribunal.
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Sickofpoliticians2
247 Fans
11:32 on 12/10/2011
resign, in this climate, without qualifications, not on your nelly, not when you can filch £215,000 pounds from the taxpayer annually and lets not have any defense of having qualified a Doctor, if my certificates of competence expire every three years then the last time this bloke used an elastoplast would to me render his professional status in this field obsolete.
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floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
855 Fans
02:51 on 13/10/2011
SickofPoliticians, you're right, but wifey is a doc, and she can cadge him up some administrator job paying £250K without breaking a sweat.  (Even tho she's been awol in this whole thing, she doesn't want to support him and Adam again.)  But will that be enough for those sunshine breaks with Adam in Dubai?  Stay tuned next week!  Belatedly fanning you, BTW;  I've liked every comment I've read from you!
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Sickofpoliticians2
247 Fans
10:48 on 14/10/2011
and me you, pity we're both past our sell by date and will be labelled old fools, if I speak to my circle of friends about this they just think I'm nuts,
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west lothian questioner
298 Fans
11:19 on 12/10/2011
If he won't jump, he needs pushing.
Bye bye Liam.
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Dina Rickman
841 Fans
 
11:30 on 12/10/2011
I think his line will change over the week - but he still could be completely cleared and within a month we could be talking about something else...
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floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
855 Fans
02:52 on 13/10/2011
Yeah, but even a crowbar won't get Huhne out of Energy.  That man is like a tick on a mule; if there's money, he ain't leaving.  Bet he heads to Brussels as a green energy something; he's earned it.
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A10tess
22 Fans
09:45 on 12/10/2011
Here we go again - its just the same as before with the Tory snouts in whatever trough is available.
If you have position or influence they think it perfectly natural to use it for friends and relatives to get whatever is going.
Its their idea of of a meritorious society. Trouble is that after the last NEW Labour crowd and now the condemned lot it seemms to have been adopted by all politicians.
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