The tarts of Wapping

I know that I have a thing about the bullying tactics of the Murdoch press. I make no apology about my opposition to such dark forces.

I draw your attention to the story of a blog named Girl with a one track mind. This particular blog is not particularly to my taste. I had heard of it sometime ago but only seen it for the first time today. However, what bothers me most is the shocking treatment that the writer claims to have received from the Sunday Times;

Aug 5, 2006 11:08 AM

Dear Miss [my name],

We intend to publish a prominent news story in this weekend's paper, revealing your identity as the author of the book, Girl With a One Track Mind.

We have matched up the dates of films you have worked on - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Batman Begins and Lara Croft Tomb Raider - and it is clear that they correlate to your blog. We have obtained your birth certificate, and details about where you went to school and college.

We propose to publish the fact that you are 33 and live in [my address] -London, and that your mother, [her name], is a [her address] -based [her profession]. The article includes extracts from your book and blog, relevant to your career in the film industry. We also have a picture of you, taken outside your flat.

Unfortunately, the picture is not particularly flattering and might undermine the image that has been built up around your persona as Abby Lee. I think it would be helpful to both sides if you agreed to a photo shoot today so that we can publish a more attractive image.

We are proposing to assign you our senior portrait photographer, Francesco Guidicini, and would arrange everything to your convenience, including a car to pick you up. We would expect you to provide your own clothes and make up. As the story will be on a colour page, we would prefer the outfit to be one of colourful eveningwear.

We did put this proposal to you yesterday, but heard nothing back. Clearly this is now a matter of urgency, and I would appreciate you contacting me as soon as possible. To avoid any doubt we will, of course, publish the story as it is if we do not hear from you.

Yours sincerely,
Nicholas Hellen

Acting News Editor

The blog goes on to tell of the effect of having been spied upon and having her mother also threatened with exposure;

When I received this email, I cried. And then showed it to my mother. It was one thing to expose me in a newspaper; it was another thing altogether to violate my mother’s privacy too – I was worried about the effect it would have on her job and her private life. As my mother read the email, I told her I would do whatever the newspaper wanted – participate in their fucking photo-shoot, or give them the interview they had been demanding – if it meant they left her out of it. I was ready to comply, cave in, and submit to their threats.


Now let me put it simply! When a newspaper spies on this woman infiltrating her garden on a quasi military operation, threatens to reveal information about her mother and behaves in an intimidating manner, I can only say that if such blackmailing scum ended up with a less than pleasant response( this is milder than the heated original comment) it would be a situation of their own making.

And yet Blair, Brown and Cameron all bow down before the King of blackmailers! Have they no pride?


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