April 1998: Rifkind Calls for Pact to Block Nationalists
Rifkind called for the formation of a cross- party movement to protect the Union and prevent the SNP taking power.
The former foreign secretary’s comments were the first clear indication that the Tory party north of the Border believed that Labour, the Tory’s and the Liberal Democrats needed to make common cause in an attempt to halt the rise of the SNP.
He said: “I think there will be a need for a non-party movement in Scotland to support the Union.”
We duly got that when “Better Together” was sent into action at the time of the 2014 Scottish Referendum.
Planning had been in place from 1998!!
He also accused Labour of fostering the mood of nationalism within Scotland by exploiting “nationalist language” during its spell in opposition:
“The genie is out of the bottle and, like all genies, once they are out of the bottle they are difficult to put back in.”
Enter Andrew Fulton
Born in Glasgow in 1944, Andrew Fulton grew up on the Isle of Bute and attended Rothesay Academy. He went on to study Law at the Glasgow University, graduating MA, LLB (1962–1967).
Employment history:
Diplomat: HM Diplomatic Service: (MI6) July 1968 – January 1999 (30 years 7 months): postings in Saigon, Rome, East Berlin, Oslo, the United Nations in New York and finally Washington DC.
President, (Founding Chairman): Scottish North American Business Council, (part of the British American Business network): January 1999 – Present (17 years 4 months)
Chairman: Global Scot World Wide Network (GPW): January 2001 – Present (16 years 4 months): global leaders in business intelligence, corporate investigations, dispute resolution, support and political risk management.
Senior Non Executive Director, IndigoVision: January 2011 – Present (5 years 4 months): United Kingdom based company engaged in the design, development, manufacture and sale of networked video security systems.
The Company’s segments include Europe, the Middle East and Africa; North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Its cameras, encoders, network video recorders and software are designed both internally and with technology partners and manufactured in Asia and Europe.
The Company’s end to end Internet protocol (IP) video security systems allow full motion video to be transmitted around the world, in real time, with digital quality and security, over local or other area networks, wireless links or the Internet, using market compression technology to minimize the usage of network bandwidth.
Appointed to the international advisory board of International Street Papers (INSP).
Senior adviser (All-Party Parliamentary MENA* Group at Westminster): 2013 – Present:
The term MENA is an English-language acronym referring to an extensive region, extending from Morocco to Iran, including all Middle Eastern and Maghreb countries. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MENA
Andrew Fulton – Former spy in line for top Scottish Tory job
Former high ranking MI6 intelligence officer, Prof Andrew Fulton. A spy who served behind the Iron Curtain at the height of the Cold War is in line to become chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party in a surprise move agreed by David Cameron and Annabel Goldie, the Scottish leader.
Fulton, whose last posting was “head of station” in Washington, has emerged as one of the favourites for the post that fell vacant when Peter Duncan, the former MP for Dumfries, stood down last summer.
The appointment of the former intelligence officer, will be seen as an attempt by senior Tories to inject fresh blood and new thinking into the Scottish party, which has struggled to recover from its 1997 wipe-out when it lost all its Scottish MPs.
Last year, he became the first high-profile former spy to join a listed British company when he was appointed as an adviser to the Armor Group, a firm that provides security services to national governments and large corporations.
Its non-executive chairman is the Tory grandee Sir Malcolm Rifkind
Andrew Fulton – Once a Spy Always a Spy
Fulton is a major player in the military corporate nexus.
He was placed in an overtly political position because of the UK government worries about Scottish secession.
He was put there to coordinate the destabilisation of the SNP government.
He is a very dangerous individual.
The Sunday Herald reported that Andrew Fulton’s CV, issued to the press at the time he was appointed chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland, claimed that he is a visiting professor at Glasgow University’s School of Law.
The university denies this. The article reads in part:
“The new chairman of the Scottish Tories has become embroiled in a row over his CV after false claims were made about his academic credentials.
“Andrew Fulton, a former MI6 spy, recently appointed by the Conservatives, was hailed as a ‘visiting professor’ at Glasgow University’s school of law.
“But a spokesman for the university rebutted the claims, saying: ‘Mr Fulton is not associated with the University of Glasgow’s law school and is not entitled to call himself a professor.’
Fulton, 64, recently took up the post as the Scottish Tories’ top official and received endorsements from Conservative leaders David Cameron and Annabel Goldie.
“The biography supplied to the media claimed he had read law at Glasgow University and was ‘now visiting professor at his alma mater’s school of law’.
“But Fulton, who was a government diplomat for 30 years, was only briefly a visiting professor at the university between 1999 and 2000.
He worked in the university’s law school at the Lockerbie Trial Briefing Unit until he was dropped from his post when he was unmasked as an ex-spook.
“Visiting professors lose their title after leaving a university, but the academic status symbol has somehow followed Fulton in his business career.”
http://lockerbiecase.blogspot.co.uk/2008/03/andrew-fulton-is-he-professor.html
After-note:
In 2008 the growth in nationalist support in Scotland alarmed the US and Westminster.
The Labour Party was in meltdown and it was entirely possible an SNP government would be in place in 2009.
This would bring with it calls for Scottish independence and a referendum.
There were also on-going problems within the Scottish Tory Party, which had suffered yet another bad election defeat.
Voices within the Party in Scotland had begun to raise the spectre of a split from Westminster control so that the Party in Scotland would be able to decide upon policy.
A strategy, designed to deal with the potential problems would need to be put in place.
Fulton was identified as the most effective “agent for change” available and it was agreed he would apply himself and his extensive resources to the tasks of completing a root and branch reorganisation of the party in Scotland, removing any person, (no matter how senior) who did not fully commit to Westminster Party ideals.
He would also design a long term strategy undermining the SNP government ensuring any referendum for independence would fail. It was believed that the SNP would fall apart in the aftermath of a failure to gain independence.
Former Spymaster Andrew Fulton Joins Rifkind’s Armour Group
Andrew Fulton (formerly MI6) became the first high-profile former spy to join a listed British company when he was appointed adviser to the Armor Group.
The company has more than 9,000 employees in 50 locations, (including 500 Gurkha’s and other ex UK and US military) providing security services in 38 countries.
It says its work is to ” identify, reduce and resolve exceptional risks in complex, sometimes hostile, environments”.
Its Chairman is Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Conservative foreign and defence secretary.
The Spies Who Love the Union More Than Scotland
Unravelling and reporting on the many plots and subterfuges of politicians is difficult but not impossible.
It is sadly often the case that they enjoy long and successful political careers within which the finger of fate may be pointed in their direction but never sticks.
This article highlights a small group of players who’s influence and machinations have shaped Scottish politics to their advantage but to the detriment of Scotland.
Martin Rifkind, (the leader):
Architect of the hated “Poll Tax” 1986.
As Minister of Defence decimated the regular army transferring responsibility for the defence of the nation to “Cruise missiles” and the Territorial Army 1994.
As Foreign Secretary had charge of Britain’s secret services 1995-2000
Out of government. Took up executive roles in a number of Security, Defence, medical companies outside parliament 2002-2004.
Armour Group, (Rifkind, Executive Director) awarded multi-million security contract in Iraq, by Jack Straw, Labour government Foreign Secretary 2004.
Returned to Westminster, ( retaining and expanding a number of executive roles in private companies). Appointed Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee of the House of Commons 2005-2010
Appointed, Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (actively involved in the work of Britain’s Secret Services). Supported military action against Iraq, Libya and Syria 2010 -2015.
Founder of Better Together 1998. In 2009, Rifkind, Chairman of the British Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which oversees MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – (the most important position in the UK intelligence community) took charge of the Better Together disinformation campaign.
Former Spymaster Sent to Scotland to Sort Out the Tory Party
Andrew Fulton ( ex MI6 senior spook)sent to Scotland to assess the political situation and report back to Westminster 2008-9.
Additionally took up position as Chairman of the Tory Party in Scotland.
Ruthlessly axed many Party members from positions of influence. Anyone not on board with Cameron’s government in Westminster retired.
Gerrymandered Ruth Davidson’s appointment as leader of the party in Scotland 2008-2011.
Notes:
Craig Murray (ex British Ambassador) confirmed the Security Services had been active in Scotland throughout the Scottish Referendum campaign.
Politicians for hire? Jack Straw & Sir Malcolm Rifkind embroiled in “cash for access” scandal. Rifkind forced to retire from politics. Straw denied place in the House of Lords.
caltonjock 