Thread by @docrussjackson

Hard-right free-market obsessed libertarian cranks stick together - like dogshit on a jackboot.

*Yet another* predictable divisive reactionary hard-right libertarian crank outfit is being (re)launched - this one with predictable divisive reactionary hard-right libertarian crank Steve Baker at the helm, who spouts predictable divisive reactionary hard-right libertarian crap.

The hypocrisy at the heart of Steve Baker's disingenuous, delusional & dangerous ideology is breathtaking.

He talks about the 'hell' of sensible COVID precautions, while totally ignoring the genuinely authoritarian & antidemocratic policies & laws introduced by the Tory Govt.

Writing in the Telegraph about 'Conservative Way Forward', Baker says:

"@Conservatives don’t create societies where people must live & work in fear that a minister might, without notice, impose restrictions on them" - while voting for the imposition of restrictions on protest.

He thinks the draconian antidemocratic imposition of restrictions on voting (pointless antidemocratic photographic ID cards) is fine, & he thinks the imposition of restrictions on protest in the draconian antidemocratic Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill is fine.

He voted for the imposition of restrictions on millions of British people contained in the international-law-breaking Nationality & Borders Bill.

He's a libertarian hypocrite, who pushes a dangerous, extremely narrow, reactionary, self-serving hard-right conception of 'freedom'.

In 2015, the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward pressure & campaigning group was in the news following the suicide of Elliott Johnson who worked there, when Donal Blaney & Paul Abbott stepped down after being linked to alleged bullying.

theguardian.com/politics/2015/…

More generally, Conservative Way Forward was founded in 1991 to "defend & build upon the achievements of the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher's leadership".

In realty, it looks a lot like just another populist nationalist Tory group pushing hard-right libertarianism.

In 2013, the group announced it was setting up a 'Margaret Thatcher Library', based on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.

It was expected to run training courses for young Conservatives & exchange student programmes to the US and elsewhere.

However...

In 2019 it was reported that after Thatcher died in 2013 a deed was drawn up for the Library, creating the 'Cherish Freedom Trust', with a target budget of £15M, but six years later there was no library, no opening date, & nearly all the money raised appeared to have been spent.

The 'Cherish Freedom Trust' has two named trustees: Donal Blaney & Andrew Mcloud - MacLeod is a visiting Prof at Kings College, Chairs Griffin Law (UK & US) & sits on the board of Cornerstone Capital (US). Blaney & Macleod co-founded Griffin Law & the 'Brexit Advisory Services'.

Recall in 2015, Blaney resigned as CWF chair following the suicide of Elliott Johnson soon after being made redundant from CWF. Blaney's resignation followed the resignation of Grant Shapps & the expulsion from the Conservative Party of Mark Clarke following bullying allegations.

Griffin Law, based in Kent & founded in 2008, is "a niche litigation practice that gives expert advice".

Griffin has taken an interest in the controversial Financial Conduct Authority, as this report with quotes from Donal Blaney of Griffin Law, shows:

teiss.co.uk/fca-malicious-…

Again, I'm not sure what to make of all this - other than Donal Blaney & Andrew MacLeod being a fascinating partnership in the context of their links to Steve Baker's Conservative Way Forward group, the controversial Young Briton's Foundation, & other influential organisations.

Andrew MacLeod is the (sole?) recipient of the 'Young Britons Foundation Global Award for Freedom'.

The Young Britons’ Foundation was co-founded in 2003 by Donal Blaney, Greg Smith & Ben Pickering, inspired by the 'success, drive & spirit' of the American conservative movement.

Similar to organisations such as the billionaire libertarian Robert Mercer founded Young America’s Foundation, the Leadership Institute, & the Heritage Foundation, Donal Blaney & Greg Smith thought Britain was behind in the training & development of younger political activists.

In 2015, The Times reported Donal Blaney had resigned as YBF Chief Executive, following on from the allegations of impropriety towards former YBF director of outreach Mark Clarke, & YBF was likely to close - as of 2016, the YBF website was not operating.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…

I just want to emphasise that others (eg @bakerstherald @BylineTimes) know much better than I the complex links between the US & UK libertarian (hard)right, & the relatively unknown Donal Blaney, but despite being a bit of a political anorak, I'd never heard of Andrew Mcleod.

Macleod wrote in 2017: "I did not support Brexit. Indeed I actively campaigned for Remain, however “Brexit means Brexit” & we must make this change work. To make Brexit work, we must now turn our minds to creating opportunities for post-Brexit Britain."

independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-…

Andrew Macleod has certainly had an interesting life & gets about: Griffin Law, Cornerstone Capital board member, advisor to Gane Energy & Critical Resource, former general manager at Rio Tinto, & former Snr official of both the UN & the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Mcleod is bright, outspoken, & has a great deal of experience across a range of sectors - so why am I flagging up him at all?

I find it fascinating that given his humanitarian background, Mcleod is involved with the Tory's libertarian/Thatcherite wing.

betterdebate.wordpress.com/section-3-brit…

OK. MacLeod is Chairman of the "independent, non-profit organization" billion-dollar foundation, 'Smoke Free World', which is funded by Big Tobacco company Philip Morris International - who had one of the biggest stands at the 2017 Tory Party conference.

tobaccotactics.org/wiki/foundatio…

And here's a #THREAD concerning hard-right Thatcherite Libertarian Priti Patels' crystal clear links to Big Tobacco, a period she spent learning the dark art of divide & rule:

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1459100260551303189?s=20