Difference between revisions of "Paddy French"

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|linkedin=https://fr.linkedin.com/in/paddy-french-ba8a4a32
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|alma_mater=University College Cardiff, Manchester University
 
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In the 1970s, at the age of 23, '''Paddy French''' launched the ''Rebecca'' magazine in [[Wales]], a radical publication that took its name from the Rebecca Riots of the 19th century.
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'''Paddy French''' is a semi-retired investigative reporter who launched the ''Rebecca'' magazine in [[Wales]] in the 1970s, a radical publication that took its name from the Rebecca Riots of the 19th century. The magazine’s reputation was based on a sustained critique of the [[Labour Party]] in Wales.
  
The magazine’s reputation was based on a sustained critique of the [[Labour Party]] in Wales.
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Many of the politicians and councillors exposed in its pages were later convicted of corruption. In 1976, the ''[[Sunday Times]]'' called Paddy French ‘the scourge of the Welsh’.
  
Many of the politicians and councillors exposed in its pages were later convicted of corruption.
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Paddy French went on to freelance for the ''Sunday Times'' as well as working on corruption investigations for [[BBC]] ''Nationwide'', Thames TV and the BBC 2 ''Man Alive'' series.
 
 
In 1976, the ''[[Sunday Times]]'' called Paddy French ‘the scourge of the Welsh’.
 
 
 
French went on to freelance for the ''Sunday Times'' as well as working on corruption investigations for [[BBC]] ''Nationwide'', Thames TV and the BBC 2 ''Man Alive'' series.
 
  
 
In the 1990s he was an independent producer who worked for [[Channel 4]] ''Dispatches'', BBC Wales and ITV Wales.
 
In the 1990s he was an independent producer who worked for [[Channel 4]] ''Dispatches'', BBC Wales and ITV Wales.
  
From the late 1990s until his retirement in 2009, he worked as a current affairs reporter and producer for HTV/ITV Wales, mainly on the long-running ''Wales This Week'' strand.
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From the late 1990s until his retirement in 2009, he worked as a current affairs reporter and producer for HTV/ITV Wales, mainly on the long-running ''Wales This Week'' strand.<ref>''[https://fr.linkedin.com/in/paddy-french-ba8a4a32 "Paddy French on Linkedin"]''</ref>
  
 
==Rebecca TV==
 
==Rebecca TV==
 
Upon retiring, he relaunched the ''Rebecca'' brand as a website, [https://www.youtube.com/user/rebeccatelevision ‘Rebecca Television’,] where he exposes wrongdoing in Welsh public life.<ref>''[https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/freemasons-names-published-on-website-1916333 "Freemasons’ names published on website"]''</ref>
 
Upon retiring, he relaunched the ''Rebecca'' brand as a website, [https://www.youtube.com/user/rebeccatelevision ‘Rebecca Television’,] where he exposes wrongdoing in Welsh public life.<ref>''[https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/freemasons-names-published-on-website-1916333 "Freemasons’ names published on website"]''</ref>
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Rebecca TV revealed disturbing flaws in the 1996-1999 Waterhouse Tribunal into North Wales Child Abuse — key witness not interviewed. This was Britain's only child abuse tribunal.
 +
 +
Rebecca TV investigated into allegations of nepotism and patronage at BBC Wales by the Talfan Davies clique — ongoing. And exposed failure of Welsh Water's "not-for-profit" ownership — customers have received rebates of less than 2 per cent from total bills of more than eight billion pounds since 2001.
  
 
==Press Gang==
 
==Press Gang==
Paddy French also runs the [https://press-gang.org/tag/paddy-french/ ''Press Gang'' website,] exposing rogue journalism. It is best known for its dramatic exposé revealing ''News of the World'' “Fake Sheikh” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazher_Mahmood Mazher Mahmood] lied to the [[Leveson Inquiry]] about the number of successful criminal prosecutions he’d secured.<ref>''[https://walesandwelshdp.home.blog/2019/08/07/french-paddy/ "FRENCH, Paddy: …"]''</ref>
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Paddy French also runs the ''[[Press Gang]]'' website, exposing rogue journalism. It is best known for its dramatic exposé revealing ''News of the World'' “Fake Sheikh” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazher_Mahmood Mazher Mahmood] lied to the [[Leveson Inquiry]] about the number of successful criminal prosecutions he’d secured.<ref>''[https://walesandwelshdp.home.blog/2019/08/07/french-paddy/ "FRENCH, Paddy: …"]''</ref>
  
 
Paddy French joined the [[Labour Party]] after the 2017 manifesto "For The Many, Not The Few".
 
Paddy French joined the [[Labour Party]] after the 2017 manifesto "For The Many, Not The Few".
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==Is the BBC Anti-Labour?==
 
==Is the BBC Anti-Labour?==
In a December 2019 article published by [https://press-gang.org/tag/paddy-french/ ''Press Gang'',] Paddy French called [[John Ware]]'s ''Panorama'' programme 'Is Labour Anti-Semitic?' “a piece of rogue journalism that presented just one side of the argument, ignored basic facts and bent the truth to breaking point”.<ref>''[https://pressganguk.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/panmorama-pamphlet-_-interim-.pdf "IS THE BBC ANTI-LABOUR? PANORAMA’S BIASED ANTI-SEMITISM REPORTING – A CASE TO ANSWER"]''</ref> In response, [[John Ware]] has sued [https://press-gang.org/tag/paddy-french/ ''Press Gang''] website editor Paddy French, seeking £50,000 in damages, over the article headlined: “Political storm rages over BBC’s ‘rogue’ journalism”.<ref>''[https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/john-ware-labour-panorama-paddy-french-press-gang-libel/ "Journalist John Ware wins first stage of £50,000 libel fight over Press Gang editor Paddy French's 'rogue journalism' claim"]''</ref>
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In a December 2019 article published by ''[[Press Gang]]'', Paddy French called [[John Ware]]'s ''Panorama'' programme 'Is Labour Anti-Semitic?' “a piece of rogue journalism that presented just one side of the argument, ignored basic facts and bent the truth to breaking point”.<ref>''[https://pressganguk.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/panmorama-pamphlet-_-interim-.pdf "IS THE BBC ANTI-LABOUR? PANORAMA’S BIASED ANTI-SEMITISM REPORTING – A CASE TO ANSWER"]''</ref> In response, [[John Ware]] has sued ''[[Press Gang]]'' website editor Paddy French, seeking £50,000 in damages, over the article headlined: “Political storm rages over BBC’s ‘rogue’ journalism”.<ref>''[https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/john-ware-labour-panorama-paddy-french-press-gang-libel/ "Journalist John Ware wins first stage of £50,000 libel fight over Press Gang editor Paddy French's 'rogue journalism' claim"]''</ref>
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===Ware Vs French===
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A fundraiser for £100,000 to defend the libel action brought by BBC ''Panorama'' reporter [[John Ware]] was established in 2020.<ref>''[https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fightingfund?utm_term=9qqWkBbXB "Weʼre raising £100,000 to defend a libel action brought by BBC Panorama reporter John Ware"]''</ref>
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
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Latest revision as of 14:19, 1 June 2021

Person.png Paddy French LinkedInRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(investigative reporter)
Paddy French.jpg
Born1949
Alma materUniversity College Cardiff, Manchester University

Paddy French is a semi-retired investigative reporter who launched the Rebecca magazine in Wales in the 1970s, a radical publication that took its name from the Rebecca Riots of the 19th century. The magazine’s reputation was based on a sustained critique of the Labour Party in Wales.

Many of the politicians and councillors exposed in its pages were later convicted of corruption. In 1976, the Sunday Times called Paddy French ‘the scourge of the Welsh’.

Paddy French went on to freelance for the Sunday Times as well as working on corruption investigations for BBC Nationwide, Thames TV and the BBC 2 Man Alive series.

In the 1990s he was an independent producer who worked for Channel 4 Dispatches, BBC Wales and ITV Wales.

From the late 1990s until his retirement in 2009, he worked as a current affairs reporter and producer for HTV/ITV Wales, mainly on the long-running Wales This Week strand.[1]

Rebecca TV

Upon retiring, he relaunched the Rebecca brand as a website, ‘Rebecca Television’, where he exposes wrongdoing in Welsh public life.[2]

Rebecca TV revealed disturbing flaws in the 1996-1999 Waterhouse Tribunal into North Wales Child Abuse — key witness not interviewed. This was Britain's only child abuse tribunal.

Rebecca TV investigated into allegations of nepotism and patronage at BBC Wales by the Talfan Davies clique — ongoing. And exposed failure of Welsh Water's "not-for-profit" ownership — customers have received rebates of less than 2 per cent from total bills of more than eight billion pounds since 2001.

Press Gang

Paddy French also runs the Press Gang website, exposing rogue journalism. It is best known for its dramatic exposé revealing News of the World “Fake Sheikh” Mazher Mahmood lied to the Leveson Inquiry about the number of successful criminal prosecutions he’d secured.[3]

Paddy French joined the Labour Party after the 2017 manifesto "For The Many, Not The Few".

In 2019 he co-authored, with Professor Brian Cathcart, "Unmasked: Andrew Norfolk, The Times Newspaper And Anti-Muslim Reporting: A Case To Answer" (Unmasked Books). The Times published an editorial condemning French and Cathcart as “politically motivated campaigners … trying to smear and suppress fine reporting”.[4]

Is the BBC Anti-Labour?

In a December 2019 article published by Press Gang, Paddy French called John Ware's Panorama programme 'Is Labour Anti-Semitic?' “a piece of rogue journalism that presented just one side of the argument, ignored basic facts and bent the truth to breaking point”.[5] In response, John Ware has sued Press Gang website editor Paddy French, seeking £50,000 in damages, over the article headlined: “Political storm rages over BBC’s ‘rogue’ journalism”.[6]

Ware Vs French

A fundraiser for £100,000 to defend the libel action brought by BBC Panorama reporter John Ware was established in 2020.[7]

 

A Document by Paddy French

TitleDocument typePublication dateSubject(s)Description
Document:Is The BBC Anti-Labour?ReportDecember 2019Labour Party
"Antisemitism"
BBC
John Ware
Mark Lewis
Paddy French's antidote to John Ware's Panorama programme "Is Labour Anti-Semitic?"
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References