McCanns: why would Clarence Mitchell quit his civil service job to be McCanns PR man ?

We read and see troday that Clarence Mitchell has quit his job as director of the Governments Central Office of Information's media monitoring unit to become the McCanns full time Public Relations man.

Something stinks from up high. Mitchell spend the first month of the McCann saga posted with the Foreign office to aid the McCanns PR launch in Portugal. As such Mitchell would have been entrusted with information regarding the McCanns that the rest of us would not be entitled to see. Civil Servents are subject to the Civil Service code which prevents Top civil servants from being employed by clients they had while in government without express permission.

How can it be right that a top government civil servant who dealt with the McCann case in government, then be in the pay of the McCanns themselves.

Why would why would Clarence Mitchell quit his civil service job to be McCanns PR man ? And does this prove that the stench of this case wafts to some lofty heights ?

Source: http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5...

Toi-et-moi - I've no doubt that Politicians and civil servants have all sorts of PERSONAL views on all sorts of issues including criminal cases. But they dont usually just suddenly leave government to join the employ of suspects in a criminal investigation - quote me one similar example EVER ?

He was probably about to be pensioned off, and the extra money would be handy. How many people in government have ever cared about the truth? Their expertise is in lies.
Think he grabbed a good opportunity, be interested to see how long he lasts!

maybe he was offered more.

Money Talks,Sorry shouts.

He as his site's on the fund money, can't blame him!!

Some big hitters coming along here.
Read this link right to the end
http://retiredrambler.typepad.com/tonys_...

I just dont understand either.
Basically he has left a safe and secure job for life, to work on something that is going to end soon, one way or another.
Then where is his career heading?
Wonder what Mrs Mitchell thinks of it? LOL

Excellent question....have a star! I agree totally that this is highly suspect. The pieces don't add up at all. The man can't be stupid because his career has been successful thus far, so that leaves us to ask what on earth can his motivation be? His statement that he 'feels strongly that they are the innocent victims of a heneous crime', is his opinion, but I can't see it as justification to throw the towel in on a rather senior civil servant position...with all the fancy pension benefits etc that come with that, not to mention longer term job security than being a spokesman for the McCann's.
There absolutely is a stench....it's overpowering!

Money and publicity, I'd never heard of him till today and I bet there are lots more who have no idea who he is

Did he quit or was he pushed. Perhaps his association with McCanns in that first month has been deemed inappropriate for a Government bod - so bye bye

The answer is in the details of your question:

'Civil Servants are subject to the Civil Service code which prevents Top civil servants from being employed by clients they had while in government without express permission'

Now, ask yourself WHO gives that 'express' permission, Mr G Brown's wife is a known friend and one time business associate of a member of the Board of Directors of 'No stone unturned plc'. Hmmmmm makes one think.

Oh, and also consider 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' Mr Mitchell clearly sees this as an opportunity to enter private consultancy (very lucrative) PR work, what better way to launch your new business than being the spokesperson of the 'agrieved' in an intercontinental media/law/rights controversy.

Plus there is always loads of dosh to be made out of it, and his puss on the papers every day and on and on and on..........

He thinks it is a better job and that he will earn more.

Has it ever occurred to you that these people support the McCanns because they believe that they are innocent?

I don鈥檛 know about the logistics of it all, but I doubt it very much that a man like Mitchell is not aware of the appropriateness of his new role.