The financial position of ailing marketing firm Acanchi underwent a startling transformation in 2012 just as they started work on creating the fake grassroots movement “Vote No Borders”.
In 2011 Acanchi’s auditors noted “The Company made a loss in the current year of £197,003, and at the balance sheet date its liabilities exceeded its assets by £385,162”. The company had a turnover of £25,631 against cost of sales of £21,283 and “admin expenses” of £201,125.
In 2012 Acanchi started work in Cambridge and London on developing the “VNB” PR campaign against Scottish Independence, which is surprising given that BBC propaganda portrayed VNB as a spontaneous movement of local Scots. We know they started in 2012 because one of Acanchi’s staff, Jessica Quiney, posted it on her CV on Linked-in. The CV page was deleted yesterday but not before Wings Over Scotland grabbed a screenshot.
This work for the No campaign coincided with an amazing turnaround in Acanchi’s financial fortunes. In 2011 they made a loss of £197,003. In 2012 they made a profit of £103,292. The income from sales went from £25,631 in 2011 to £348,835 in 2012.
There is a very interesting explanation given in the Directors’ report to the Acanchi annual accounts for 2012. It is signed by Gary Waple, the man who registered the “Vote No Borders” domain and who now works for the Regulatory Commission of the Bank of England. Mr Waple states in the 2012 Acanchi Directors’ report:
“The nature of Acanchi’s business is that the award of government contracts is subject to external delays beyond the Company’s control. As stated in last year’s financial statement, the Directors’ forecast that there would be a significant improvement in these financial statements. This was achieved as the result of the company being awarded contracts in the current period which had been the subject of long on-going discussions in the past.”
So what was young Jessica Quiney doing at Acanchi at this period? Well, in 2012 she:
“collated and formatted material promoting the pro-Union arguments in opposition to the SNP’s call for Scottish independence including development of narratives, a positioning strategy and a programme of micro-initiatives for this project.”
In 2013 Jessica was:
“Involved in the development and implementation of a proposal and subsequent micro-initiatives for a campaign supporting the No vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014”.
Vote No Borders had nine adverts in one single edition of the Daily Record newspaper in Scotland this week, each giving the story of a single “grassroots” Scots punter and why they are against independence. These “narratives” were developed by Jessica Quiney, a Cambridge classics student, born in England and educated at Northampton High School. I can see no evidence she has ever been to Scotland. Interestingly the photographer, Claire Borley, who took all the photos of “typical Scots” for the No Borders campaign which are appearing in the newspapers, is also Cambridge based.
Claire Borley’s cv gives a stunning glimpse into just how real and gritty this “Scottish grassroots campaign” is:
Born and raised in Cambridge, my professional life has always been about communication.
After gaining an English degree and jumping in at the deep-end in Bermuda as a PA with limited shorthand but fast typing, I worked in television production in London. Here I built up a wide variety of skills working for the Walt Disney Company, Buena Vista International, Buena Vista Productions, Roger Bolton Productions, Wall to Wall TV and Windfall Films.
After spending a number of years on the production side of a visual industry I felt it was time to develop my own creative abilities. With this in mind I returned to Cambridge and continued to work successfully as a freelance photographer for advertising, editorial and corporate clients as well as private clients, musicians and performers.
My aim is always to capture the personality and essence of the individual moment and make each project unique for the client. This leads to much of my work being used for PR, marketing and multi-media broadcast. I enjoy working below the line (direct mail, flyers etc), above the line (mass media advertising) or through the line (bit of both).
Young Jessica Quiney has done nothing wrong. Despite the fact that Fiona Gilmore, 100% owner of Acanchi, was now by 2012 raking in 100 grand a year in profit, poor Jessica was not even being properly paid – she was an intern, an example of the appalling exploitation of our young generation and the total lack of respect in modern society for the value of labour against capital.
But what cannot be forgiven is the BBC’s extraordinary promotion of VNB as a genuine grassroots organization – in total just under 150 minutes were devoted to showing Gavin Esler’s puff piece on the BBC News Channel, not to mention at least 20 minutes on other BBC news programmes.
It has recently come to light that the UK government has been rocked by private polling costing £56,000 of taxpayers’ money, which shows a major fall in “No” support. It is incredible that the government even thinks it is legitimate to pay with taxes for private polling to be made available to only one side in the referendum campaign. It does make you wonder, what else do they think it is OK to pay for? My strong expectation is that the poll of which news has been leaked is only the latest in a series; polling statistics are the basis of PR strategies such as the one Acanchi has been developing for the No campaign.
I cannot leave the subject of Acanchi without referring to this report that:
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, in October 2008, it was the turn of British firm Acanchi, hired by the foreign minister “to craft the new image” (“Foreign Ministry, PR firm rebrand Israel as land of achievements,” 6 October 2008). The firm’s founder toured Israel as part of the mission “to create a brand disconnected from the Arab-Israeli conflict that focuses instead on Israel’s scientific and cultural achievements.”
I have deep contempt for Fiona Gilmore. To try to create a “brand image” for Israel that leaves out the Palestinians, is the moral equivalent of creating a “brand image” for the Nazis that leaves out the concentration camps. Anyone who can tour Israel as the guest of the Israeli foreign office to that end, is not somebody I would wish to associate with. She is however the ideal partner for Malcolm Offord, the Vote No Borders financier – and major contributor to the Tory Party and to Michael Gove personally – who argues that Britain needs much more drastic cuts to welfare benefits. There must be something about food banks that gladdens the Tory heart. The prospect of not having any in Scotland evidently terrifies them.
I think they’ve lost the race to claim the name and be known as residual-UK, with most of central, southern and eastern-Ukraine surely having a better case to be be known as residual-UK and the west’s tiny western fascist part being annexed whoever wants it, and I hope remaining forever nameless. I had long thought the residual-UK should really exclude that nauseatingly smug enclave of loot and unfathomable wickedness, that south-east corner that sucks vampire-like the lifeblood and wealth fom the whole country, that London, leaving them to themselves, a pariah city state, had even suggested the name Autonomous Region South East would suit it perfectly. I’ll give country branding and presentation advice for them too, for a national anthem I suggest Mendelsson’s Funeral March and for a flag the skull and crossbones, over an image of DU mutated and mutilated babies.
Great work indeed Craig… Brilliant post..thanks. calls for some dirty dealing investigation surely.
Mary love the Thousand Flowers website What a hoot…
came across that Offord and Gimore weekly wanker Piece a couple of weeks ago…whilst delving into Offord…
Love the way they tell it…Cheers for reminding me.
Superb post Craig.
As someone earlier said:there is indeed a huge scandal here just waiting to be exposed.
Habbabkuk?…Can you just bugger off you eejit sockpuppet hmmm?
Thanks.
I see that fascism has spread across the Irish Sea.
‘He doesn’t know where the hell I was born’: Woman in Kenny protest video speaks out
When Dette McLoughlin questioned the Taoiseach about water charges, he asked her where she was from. McLoughlin claims a garda approached her after the incident, looking for her details.
http://www.thejournal.ie/enda-kenny-galway-accent-2-1465992-May2014/
Free speech? Where did that go?
Trust things do not go this far.
Stirling Castle knight revealed as English nobleman
Reconstructed image of knight’s face
The skeleton of the knight was discovered during refurbishment work
A skeleton discovered at Stirling Castle may have been an English knight who died in the 14th Century.
Sir John de Stricheley died in 1341, when the English held the castle.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10138060
and
Stirling Castle skeletons date from independence wars
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-27443889
‘Nine skeletons were found at Stirling Castle by a team of archaeologists in 1997.
Skeletons uncovered at Stirling Castle reveal the individuals were likely to have died during sieges of the castle during the Scottish wars of independence, experts believe.
Nine skeletons were found at the castle in 1997, inspiring a number of studies and theories about their origins.
Dr Jo Buckberry, a Bradford University battle trauma expert, believes they date from 1296 to 1357.
A talk is to be held at the castle to discuss her findings.’
Impressive research. I hope you can now get the information out to the Scottish voters. That is the expensive step. Also, if that information did get out, would it influence the vote count? I have been involved in a number of campaigns here in California where we dug up similar false grass roots campaigns (called ‘astro turf’ campaigns) and the information didn’t make much difference. The costs of getting the information to the voters was just too expensive. Our campaign managers said it was hard enough to just put out their own message without having to explain to the voters the sources of where all of the negative hits were coming from. I would think that your yes on Scottish independence would face the same dilemma.
I see that the Murdoch discard/currently BBC stooge Andrew Neil was enrolled for the No campaign. Sept 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oFiR0vUYIU
Also Stephanie Flanders on the same date.
She was then the BBC’s Economics Editor but is now ‘J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s chief market strategist for the UK and Europe’ LOL YCNMIU. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqGGriEJac8
Captioned as ‘Highlights from a BBC conference on 3 April 2012.’ or ‘The State Broadcaster speaks for the State’.
Well done on this piece. Good work. Thank you for your efforts
Cameron goes to Scotland but is too afraid to meet ordinary Scots so he visits an army barracks instead.
http://www.itv.com/news/2014-05-15/why-the-scottish-referendum-is-problematic-for-cameron/
Cameron appears to be worried more about his image than the views of the Scottish electorate, not wanting to go down in history as the Prime Minister who broke up the Union. Bloody Tories!
“I’m glad I live in the Evil West and not the Wonderful BRICs”
Yes, but have you no consideration for the rest of our feelings my dear? 🙂
Better Together has published its Donor List (don’t know when). Unfortunately the all-important link to donors comes up with an error, at least on my computer. I wonder if Buckingham’s name is among the big donors?
http://www.bettertogether.net/press/entry/better-together-publishes-donor-details
General Assembly of Church of Scotland begins
…
Later in the week there will be further discussion over the ordination of gay ministers, and what is likely to be a high-profile debate on Scottish independence.
The Church of Scotland has taken a neutral position on the issue, but its members said it was important to reflect on issues dominating public life.’
/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27443865
Incidentally they have operations within the entity of Israel.
The consolidated financial statements also incorporate the financial results of three subsidiary undertakings, St Andrew’s Galilee Limited,(hotel) St Andrew’s Scottish Centre Limited, (guest house) companies incorporated in Israel, and Tabeetha School in Israel registered as a non-profit organisation.
p 41 http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/14419/unincorporated_report_and_accounts.pdf
They have accounts with two Israel banks and employ Price Waterhouse in Jerusalem as auditors.
Have we heard what the Church of Scotland thinks about the Occupation or are they Christian Zionists? I don’t know.
The company and directors is here John. Darling included.
http://companycheck.co.uk/company/SC425421/BETTER-TOGETHER-2012-LIMITED/company-summary
Yes, thanks Mary, interesting on its own, but it is the big donors that I am more interested in.
Oh! the oversight. ‘VoteNoBorders’ was created with NationBuilder – another oxymoron – Reach for sickbag before you view!
http://nationbuilder.com/
Solid scrutiny Craig and well pursued Mary. 🙂
Some of the donors are here.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/top-10-donors-to-better-together.20723893
Two donors from this fund management company.
http://www.artemis.co.uk/
Yes John. I realised that you wanted the donors. Quite laughable that they make a big thing of publishing details of their donors and all you can get are the totals.
Anyway. The best reason to vote Yes is this exhortation from war criminals’ assistant John Reid to vote No.
14 May 2014
A vote to stay in the UK is the patriotic Scottish choice
Former Home Secretary, and former Secretary of State for Scotland and Defence, John Reid, highlights the reasons that voting to stay in the UK and have the best of both worlds is the patriotic Scottish choice.
http://www.bettertogether.net/blog/entry/a-vote-to-stay-in-the-uk-is-the-patriotic-scottish-choice
They are determined to keep the status quo John. No disturbance to their money making is needed.
The ultimate owner of Artemis is this American outfit, together with the actual Artemis partners who are donors to Better Together.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiliated_Managers_Group
I saw the name of Flint chairman of HSBC in that list of ‘top’ donors. The other day I saw Lord Janvrin’s name as chair of HSBC Private Bank Ltd. He was private secretary to Her Maj of course. Keeping it all in the family.
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-janvrin/3838
I’m sure you’re right Mary about the bankers. They have a lot to lose from a socially equatable society.
For us in England it will be a good thing because we can say well they’re doing it in Scotland. All Westminster has done recently is cap local authorities and bank the money, or rather use the money for bonuses in banks the taxpayer bails out for bad practice. Birmingham City Council has stopped collecting green waste unless people pay extra. My local Tory candidate has said he’ll fight to reinstate this service. Yet it’s his central government that has capped councils and made the cuts in services necessary. He does not say what he intends to cut to make the savings to pay for reinstatement of green collections. Likewise Scotland, so far from Westminster, has lacked proper investment and has only been seen as a poor brother, until recently. We have to get the money back. If that means robbing the bankers so be it. They’ve robbed us for long enough.
Thanks Mary again. Artemis, being an American outlet, is coming close to contravening the Better Together policy of not having donations from overseas investors. How would anybody know where this wheeler-dealering money comes from?
Off topic but please sign and share this about a young Sudanese woman who is due to be hanged accused of apostasy for being a Christian. Some countries are so barbaric. Not the US this time.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/278/113/666/?z00m=21103429&redirectID=1355134532
I was passing Central Station in Glasgow last night and noticed a short ‘VNB’ video on that giant display screen where the Irn-Bru clock used to be. That doesn’t come cheap…
Fantastic work. This is what the newspaper trade should be doing.
Watch the mainstream media leap on this seminal story….not.
John Goss
“Off topic but please sign and share this about a young Sudanese woman who is due to be hanged accused of apostasy for being a Christian. Some countries are so barbaric. Not the US this time.”
Sorry, John, but I can’t sign that. Muslims are the victims and the US the aggressor. Please get back on track.
PROJECT TRUST – The knowledge.
The Case for Voting ‘YES’ to an independent Scotland.
The Union sound bite “Best of both worlds” is propaganda – there are no benefits from two seemingly opposed alternatives.
The Union sound bite ‘We have devolution’ is misleading – ‘devolution’ = perversion. Further devolution is the dangling carrot gone rotten; five Billion pounds of ‘economic hitman’ debt and an unknown new rate of income tax for Scotland.
The case for Union is weak, portraying the UK as ‘strong and proud’ is an enigma. Britain’s ‘strength’ has seeped to the East and our pride is in need of repair.
Britain’s so called defense is warfare, weapons and murder.
Our ‘generous’ welfare system has produced food-banks, poverty, pain and suicide.
Our ‘oil and gas’ prize is depleted to the point we must destroy our land with explosive hydraulic fracturing to ‘wring out’ our soil and rocks for short term gain, polluting future generations.
The EU rebate that purports £135/year to British households is contentious and will be cut.
Britain’s economy has not recovered from the 2008 crash:
Since 2007 the UK has committed to spending £1.162 trillion at various points on bailing out the banks. This figure has however fluctuated wildly during the period and by March 2011 it was £456.33bn. That total outstanding support was equivalent to 31% of GDP in March. At near zero interest the ‘pay-back’ on our investment is lost in the fog:
“If the support measures had not been put in place, the scale of the economic and social costs if one or more major UK banks had collapsed would be so large as to be difficult to envision. The support provided to the banks was therefore justified, but the final cost to the taxpayer of the support would not be known for a number of years.” – National Audit Office – Dec 2013
Leaving Scotland’s currency until last is my reply to the ‘fear campaign’ that England’s monetary policy vis. currency union will strike at the heart of every family in Scotland. It will not.
The independent Fiscal Commission concluded: “retaining Sterling would be a sensible currency choice that would be attractive both to Scotland and the UK”.
Scotland holds the best cards in any macroeconomic monetary agreement. Osborne, his rhetoric and scaremongering is just jingoistic threatening without substance.
Case closed.
“Sorry, John, but I can’t sign that. Muslims are the victims and the US the aggressor.”
And poor Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag is just a dispensible pawn you want to play in your stupid game. Truly pathetic response – are you capable of thinking for yourself?
More shooting the messenger from Craig I’m afraid. I’m sure there are plenty of unsavoury characters who support the Yes campaign as well.
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !
16 May, 2014 – 7:53 pm
“I’m glad I live in the Evil West and not the Wonderful BRICs”
I’m sure the BRIC countries are glad of that as well Habbabkuk
Mary For Truth and Justice
16 May, 2014 – 9:21 pm
“The Westminster establishment are doing all they can to put spokes into the wheel.”
“The proposed date of Scottish independence should be delayed if it is not in the best interests of the rest of the UK, a House of Lords report has said.”
Yes Mary, the “establishment” will do all they can to prevent a yes vote but if that fails they will do anything they can to prevent independence.
They could use “national security” as a pretext:
“Scottish independence threat to national security, says Theresa May”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10411559/Scottish-independence-threat-to-national-security-says-Theresa-May.html
Philip Hammond Says Those Demanding Scottish Independence Are ‘Deluded’ And ‘Threatening National Security’
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/15/philip-hammond-scottish-independence_n_4970556.html
The UK is a unitary state; Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have a degree of autonomous devolved power. But such devolved power is delegated by the Parliament of the United Kingdom which may enact laws unilaterally altering or abolishing devolution.
So in the interests of “national security” it might not be allowed.
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland, explains why independence is so important:
How Iceland defeated the Anglo-American Bankster Mafia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zlzC_XMQzI
DSK at the IMF allowed Iceland to bust its banks. He was also reported as agreeing that Ireland follow a similar plan. Unfortunately they didn’t.
DSK was subsequently ousted in a very public fit up.
Iceland escaped the bankers clutches. The rest of us must suffer austerity to make up their gambling losses.