Bullying Update: Tories are Prats; and Pratts are Tories

Further to the last post about Rawnsley and the National sic Bullying sic Helpline sic HERE we're going to post part B again separately. Rawnsley has ceased to be the story. So has Gordon Brown. The story now is surely the poorly run, poorly governed, conflicted of interest, dodgy registered charity and its poorly run, poorly governed, registered sister company.

These organisations are in fact linked in to the Tories of Wiltshire, and Boris' London mob, to Ann Widdecombe, to Dave Cameron himself, and to CCHQ. Were they hooked up with ITN and so on by the Tories? Despite the brand they are NOT the go to organisation for these things. They are slight and ropey by the look of things.

Are the Pratts themselves active Tories? Is there now going to be a pattern of dodgy Tories and dodgy Companies, insolvencies and conflicts of interest this election period? We've had some of these runnings in Bristol East. And I can reveal without fear of contradiction that Nadine Dorries will be bothering the scorers herself before very long. Perhaps this very morning.

UPDATE: Adam Bienkov's Tory Troll has more including these problems. Incidentally the Tory Pratts started their own short-lived blog at about the same time. Managed two posts.


The National Bullying Helpline (NBH) deserve a good kicking, a good metaphorical kicking, for their truly horrendous fails in professional standards. Betraying the confidences of callers, albeit in general terms, and telling ITN of "several" staff making calls over the past "few years". Relaying unchecked reports of personnel issues - loosely labeled bullying, but perhaps no more nor less than a deserved roasting, or some big feet trampling on some long toes (a great Dutch idiom) - to millions of viewers.

Number 10 say that no case was ever referred back to them, that they were never contacted at all by NBH, and express surprise that this organisation should comment.


Did NBH even check the identity of any callers locating themselves in Number 10? The National Bullying Helpline are in effect bullying Gordon Brown by feeding a carried away media narrative, stoked by The Observer on re-launch Sunday and as a book publisher, and by the smug author himself.

Things don't get any better when there's even the lightest of delvings into NBH and its relatives. Their website declares their charitable not-for-profit status, and a connection with a for-profit company HR & Diversity Management Limited, based at the very same address and with the very same key personnel.


ITN quoted Christine Pratt as the CEO of the Charity. She is also the Principal with her husband David Arthur Pratt of their consultancy. This lovely pair pictured above. It looks from preliminary searches that the latter might be the only Trustee of the charity, hardly best practice, though hardly a rarity in the world of small and medium charities.

This one is a bit different though through its close links with a private company that is not its own trading arm.


What else is there? Here's what I wrote pre-delving at Liberal Burblings whose post HERE seems a bit previous and naive to say the least:

I agree with this (the post). Basically. However it is worth noting a few salient facts:

1. Staff members getting in touch doesn’t give any indication of the nature of their complaint or enquiry;

2. Certainly not whether this or these was/is well-founded etc;

3. Or even whether identities and any complaints were fact-checked or referred anywhere for action;

4. Mrs Pratt, as well as being CEO of the National Bullying Helpline (a Charity and CLG), is the main Practitioner in the mom and pop consultancy HR Diversity Management Limited (a private for profit Company) based I think at the same address and linked. and I’m not suggesting any wrong doing in recording this fact;

5. She has also been the Chair of an anti-bullying working party (PDF download) for the Conservative Swindon Council. No idea whether this is voluntary or involves a fee or honorarium;

6. As well as the NBH having a web endorsement from David Cameron and Anne Widdecombe the latter is a Patron, as is a local Tory councillor;

7. Not checked yet who are the Trustees, can’t see them listed on the charity website;

8. David Cameron publicly and rather grandly endorsed the organisation about six months ago. (above, a local Tory website reporting this)

There is a huge spectrum of general nowtiness and staff relations issues. Let’s not assume the worst. I think Rawnsley is a bit of a rat myself. And this is certainly not his best work when it comes to fact-checking and responsible sourcing.

As far as I can see at the moment anyway. Brown is essentially a good man, whether you like his politics or those of his party or not. And he has a bit of a temper. He is driven to get things right for the working people he wishes to help.

The hyperlinks have been added and weren't in my comment when it first went up. Have now had a chance to check the Directors/Trustees of the Charity in a preliminary search. It's remarkable. The arithmetic is troublesome. Two Directors and a Secretary resigned and two new Directors and a Secretary were appointed on 24 January 2007. The Secretary may have also been a Director. So far so OK.

This is pretty standard. The company formation people making an exit. Another Director was added three months later. Nine months later in the span of one week FOUR Directors resigned. At which point they would apparently have ZERO Directors. David Arthur Pratt himself corrected this SEVEN MONTHS later by going on the board.

And finally, just before Christmas a further Director - Susan Field - which the arithmetic didn't reveal had her appointment terminated. It may be that Companies House and/or the Charity Commission forced one of 'em to stay on to keep things legal. Here's the basic search:


On the face of things this charity - with a CEO gracing ITN studios this very day - has a chequered history governance wise, and her husband and partner in their private consultancy company is steering the charity all by himself. Which is not a good situation.

The Private Company has had some comings and goings too but the arithmetic is less clear from my searches to date.

Are the Pratt's active Conservative members? I don't know. If you do please let me know. Meanwhilst there's this intriguing lead:


FOOTNOTE: This site - the Andrea Adams Trust aka Ban Bullying at Work (same site) an ostensibly similar organisation carries the following:

Disclaimer Notice: The Andrea Adams Trust National Workplace Bullying Helpline has no affiliation with, nor recommends the 'National Bullying Helpline Charity' or its affiliated sister service, The HR & Diversity Management Limited Company, run by Christine Pratt