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Michelle Mone (again)


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The Herald have commentedon her throwing the toys out the pram

THE Herald has been accused of a “partisan search for non-stories” by publicists for lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone following our revelations of disquiet in the business community and political circles about her suitability for the role of UK Government business start-ups czar.

The fact she benefited from tax avoidance schemes dubbed “morally repugnant” by the Chancellor prompted her PR firm to suggest this title was in some way partisan.

This is manifestly untrue. The Herald has been an interested, even supportive, observer of Ms Mone’s colourful business career over the years. With her remarkable talent for self-promotion, we have applauded the chutzpah of a working class Glasgow woman who made her mark in the male-dominated world of business. We have also been among the many titles that published photos of Ms Mone and an array of celebrity models promoting her cleavage-enhancing lingerie.

We followed the Ultimo saga over the years, although never quite buying into the gushing coverage often spouted elsewhere. We also highlighted her other business interests, which have taken in diet pills and fake tans. Through her ups and downs we gave Ms Mone the benefit of the doubt. Switching from Labour to Conservative and becoming a No vote champion was her choice, which we reported fairly and accurately.

Our involvement in this story came about for two reasons — the announcement of the UK Government’s appointment and a strong reaction from the Scottish business community which we felt we could not ignore.

Some facts need to be rehearsed: Ultimo was not a particularly successful business. It also outsourced its production to Asia. Ms Mone and her former husband utilised employee benefit trusts to avoid tax. Their company created few jobs in Scotland, and she was involved in bugging one of her employees.

But none of this prompted The Herald’s scrutiny. What did was feedback from members of the Scottish business community, many of whom were aghast at Ms Mone becoming the UK Government’s face of business start-ups.

When Douglas Anderson of Gap Group – a company employing 1,300 people with annual revenues of £150m – writes to the Prime Minister to protest about the appointment of Ms Mone to the start-ups role, amid rumours of her also being appointed to the Lords, were we meant to ignore it?

Perhaps we were meant to ignore him when he said: “Her businesses have been no more than excessively over-promoted PR minnows gaining unjustified acclaim due to the glamorous sector they happen to be in. There is no way, by any measure, that she is qualified to advise anybody on setting up a profitable business, because, quite simply, she hasn’t.”

This is – or at least should be – a serious job. We do not doubt Ms Mone’s drive, ambition and desire to do well in the role. But we also recognise that while it is unpaid, the position burnishes her valuable credentials as a media personality and handsomely-rewarded public speaker.

With this appointment Prime Minister Cameron was acting like the shallow PR man his adversaries portray him as. Senior Scottish Conservatives, who were not consulted, were aghast at this divisive and potentially counter-productive appointment. Were we meant to ignore this?

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Actually why does she keep linking this to SNP supporters? Is all criticism of her now just dismissed as that?

It's perfectly valid to be questioning her appointment to the role and to her use of tax schemes. It has f**k all to do with independence, yes voters or no voters - It's to do with her unsuitability for the job she has been given.

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The Herald have commentedon her throwing the toys out the pram

THE Herald has been accused of a partisan search for non-stories by publicists for lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone following our revelations of disquiet in the business community and political circles about her suitability for the role of UK Government business start-ups czar.

The fact she benefited from tax avoidance schemes dubbed morally repugnant by the Chancellor prompted her PR firm to suggest this title was in some way partisan.

This is manifestly untrue. The Herald has been an interested, even supportive, observer of Ms Mones colourful business career over the years. With her remarkable talent for self-promotion, we have applauded the chutzpah of a working class Glasgow woman who made her mark in the male-dominated world of business. We have also been among the many titles that published photos of Ms Mone and an array of celebrity models promoting her cleavage-enhancing lingerie.

We followed the Ultimo saga over the years, although never quite buying into the gushing coverage often spouted elsewhere. We also highlighted her other business interests, which have taken in diet pills and fake tans. Through her ups and downs we gave Ms Mone the benefit of the doubt. Switching from Labour to Conservative and becoming a No vote champion was her choice, which we reported fairly and accurately.

Our involvement in this story came about for two reasons the announcement of the UK Governments appointment and a strong reaction from the Scottish business community which we felt we could not ignore.

Some facts need to be rehearsed: Ultimo was not a particularly successful business. It also outsourced its production to Asia. Ms Mone and her former husband utilised employee benefit trusts to avoid tax. Their company created few jobs in Scotland, and she was involved in bugging one of her employees.

But none of this prompted The Heralds scrutiny. What did was feedback from members of the Scottish business community, many of whom were aghast at Ms Mone becoming the UK Governments face of business start-ups.

When Douglas Anderson of Gap Group a company employing 1,300 people with annual revenues of £150m writes to the Prime Minister to protest about the appointment of Ms Mone to the start-ups role, amid rumours of her also being appointed to the Lords, were we meant to ignore it?

Perhaps we were meant to ignore him when he said: Her businesses have been no more than excessively over-promoted PR minnows gaining unjustified acclaim due to the glamorous sector they happen to be in. There is no way, by any measure, that she is qualified to advise anybody on setting up a profitable business, because, quite simply, she hasnt.

This is or at least should be a serious job. We do not doubt Ms Mones drive, ambition and desire to do well in the role. But we also recognise that while it is unpaid, the position burnishes her valuable credentials as a media personality and handsomely-rewarded public speaker.

With this appointment Prime Minister Cameron was acting like the shallow PR man his adversaries portray him as. Senior Scottish Conservatives, who were not consulted, were aghast at this divisive and potentially counter-productive appointment. Were we meant to ignore this?

Good piece, do you think her legal team will be all over this? I sincerely doubt it.

I forget, is The Herald SNPbad?

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And just to demonstrate further that it's not misogyny, my Mrs sent me a text about her this morning, referring to her as "that odious, odious woman".

Women are capable of being misogynists as well, mate. This isn't me suggesting that what's been said here is misogyny just that's a pisspoor defence.

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Good piece, do you think her legal team will be all over this? I sincerely doubt it.

I forget, is The Herald SNPbad?

I think it is, or neutral. I don't think the pro indy Sunday Herald is involved in this.

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Women are capable of being misogynists as well, mate. This isn't me suggesting that what's been said here is misogyny just that's a pisspoor defence.

Can they? I know that many people think this is the case but usually apply it to specific instances of women hating other women. Misogynists have a hatred for, contempt towards or prejudices against all females. I would find it really hard to think that women would adopt such a position unless they were self-loathing and even then self-loathing in women is usually associated with inferiority of other women and would therefore fail a misogyny angle.

Happy to be provided with examples though.

Edited by strichener
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Can they? I know that many people think this is the case but usually apply it to specific instances of women hating other women. Misogynists have a hatred for, contempt towards or prejudices against all females. I would find it really hard to think that women would adopt such a position unless they were self-loathing and even then self-loathing in women is usually associated with inferiority of other women and would therefore fail a misogyny angle.

Happy to be provided with examples though.

Well, internalised misogyny and so on e.g. women trying to seek the approval of men by claiming "I'm not like other women" or ingrained attitudes that judge other women to standards that they don't judge men to. I think we're probably going to end up splitting hairs here but I don't think a woman criticising another woman gives a man free rein to say what he likes or absolves him from any accusation of misogyny.

But again I don't think much of the criticism towards Mone has been misogynistic.

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Well, internalised misogyny and so on e.g. women trying to seek the approval of men by claiming "I'm not like other women" or ingrained attitudes that judge other women to standards that they don't judge men to. I think we're probably going to end up splitting hairs here but I don't think a woman criticising another woman gives a man free rein to say what he likes or absolves him from any accusation of misogyny.

But again I don't think much of the criticism towards Mone has been misogynistic.

Whilst I agree that most of the criticism of Mone in not misogynistic, I don't think either of the examples you have provided are either. As you say probably we would end up splitting hairs. We both know how much women hate their hair being messed with so we should probably just leave it there. :ph34r:

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Whilst I agree that most of the criticism of Mone in not misogynistic, I don't think either of the examples you have provided are either. As you say probably we would end up splitting hairs. We both know how much women hate their hair being messed with so we should probably just leave it there. :ph34r:

Vile and reported.

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Good piece, do you think her legal team will be all over this? I sincerely doubt it.

I forget, is The Herald SNPbad?

Yes. it's a little lighter than the Scotsman, but that's only because it's based in Glasgow. Frankly, if it catches heat from Mone after enthusiastically repeating all her shite during the indyref then hell mend them.

Of course Mone doesn't have any legal case here. Truth is a fairly good counter to claims of libel. Still, f**k them both.

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If Scotland voted yes and businesses were booming here and failing down south she'd be the first in the paper spouting how independence was the best thing for businesses.

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