Mark Thomas Info | Series 1 Show details

Series 4 - The Mark Thomas Product - 11 Shows

Show 1 - Burma and Premier Oil

Burma (Myanmar)

Poor regime. So bad that Britain does not sell arms to them!

Interview with Burmese ambassador, Dr Kwai Win

Mark gives a gift, some tripe along with some cooking advice

Also a Man U strip signed by David and Posh

Similes abound, feeding solids to a baby

Cultural differences cited for human rights abuses

So the Welsh have Male voice choirs, the French Cuisine, and Burma's got the national army all-formation torture team

Internal security most important according to Dr Win

More simile using a machine gun in one hand to get the population to accept the olive branch of peace in the other

2 comedians in Burma sentenced to 20 years for telling jokes. "That's a fuck of a heckle".

Mark continues getting under Dr Win's skin and smooth talking him about banning arms exports to Burma.

Starts comparing similar regimes such as Thailand and Indonesia. Mark considers calling the Indonesian Embassy to tell them that Burma thinks they are a role model

More similes from Mark comparing democracy to a house plant. The plant needs to be clipped.

1990 election Aung San Suu Kyi

He says that the election was never intended to transfer power to the winners

Quite a few companies have pulled out of Burma, Pepsico, Levi's and BHS

Premier Oil

Haven't pulled out, building an oil pipeline

Government will get £120 million from the deal

Buddhist monk hands in letter to Premier Oil to head of global social policy

Mark tries to speak to him but he doesn't want to but Mark manages to get him to watch a video

NAW DER LWEH HTOO is a Burmese refugee tells story of family and other villagers tied up by Burmese soldiers

Her friend was gang-raped in front of her husband

They cut out her babies heart with a knife and put it over a fire before making her and her husband eat it

Another tape smuggled out of Burma has Aung San Suu Kyi

She says that investing in Burma is tantamount to encouraging the military regime which is against a transition to democracy

Cut to Premier Oil's "Corporate Medical, Socio-Economic and Security advisor", Dr. Richard Jones. Not a happy bunny.

Robin Cook asked them not to work in Burma

He keeps referring to his chairman

Later Richard Jones calls and says that the Robin Cook statement wasn't entirely accurate.

That could change the focus of the show if we gad evidence of that.

Richard has some letters he could give Mark

Premier Oil letter - "At no time did he say or in any way suggest 'don't do it', pull out or words to that effect.

Robin Cook

Someone is lying. Is it Robin Cook or Premier Oil.

Getting an interview with Cook is unlikely but could engineer a chance meeting!

West Calder, Scotland. Mark and Buddhist Monk confront Robin Cook.

Spiritual healing ceremony

Mark quizzes Cook

He doesn't answer if he said "don't do it" to Premier Oil

Labour being taken to court by the Burma campaign group.

Credits

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate Producer: JACK CHESHIRE

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: LEIGH PANTON

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: ROB SARGENT

Sound Supervisor: KEITH NIXON

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI

Location Sound: GRANT LAWSON

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Location Producer: CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Show 2 - Iraqi Sanctions

Iraqi sanctions

Politicians say Saddam is mad as a hatter but when did they decide, when they sold him the gas or when he used it.

I think you'll find his madness is linked to the price of oil.

CIA sponsor dissident groups to unseat him

Myth of the smart bomb. Why did they destroy 600 schools in the 1st Iraq war

Clinton, at the height of his Lewinski impeachment he ordered the bombing of Baghdad with operation Desert Fox.

People died because somebody sucked his cock

Sanctions are crucial thing. Nothing gets in to Iraq without an export license

Ping pong balls

Pencils

Pencil sharpeners

Notepads

Medical texts

Sanitary towels - some of them have got wings you see

Unicef estimate a quarter to half a million children under 5 have died as the result of sanctions.

Met Voices in the Wilderness people who go sanction busting. Top people, Christians but lovely

Exported medicines, toys etc. Have been fined over 200,000 dollars for importing an Iraqi water bottle and a stamp

Went to Washington to talk to them and decided to visit some senators, congressmen etc. about it

Went to whitehouse. The whitehouse is really odd, for a start it's off-cream.

When we go in get stopped by security while all the crew are let through, thinking he wouldn't get in.

Suddenly a voice shouts "Fucking Hell, it's Mark Thomas". It's 3 English lads. "You're not fucking with them are ya?" They ask. "Will you keep it down" says Mark.

0-10 scale of evil, where would Saddam come, Mark asked David Leavy, Whitehouse National Security Council Spokesperson. He says he's at the higher end.

Evidence of black market dealing in the goods being supplied in return for oil. Evidence that Saddam is building a Hotel with an amusement park including a Ferris Wheel.

Weird that he's got a Ferris wheel but jut as wierd that they are using it as a propaganda tool.

Mark puts the child mortality figures to David Leavy who says that is Saddam's fault not the sanctions.

Taking beanie babies out to Iraq without a license. Mr Leavy cuts short the interview fairly soon.

Head across town and suddenly get an angry call from David Leavy saying "It is not appropriate to use a Beanie Baby in an interview!".

Go to see Congressman Robert Menendez (Democrat, New Jersey - House International Relations Committee) with a video of sanction busting in Iraq with some cancer medicine for a young boy, which is in violation of US law.

Part 2 - There's a British Law "Intent to conspire to Export without an Export License". What does this mean? If I want to take something to Iraq and I think about it am I intending to?

Got a bag of medicines and a ticket to Oman(Amman?) in Jordan.

Phoned up Crimestoppers and shops himself

Suggest he goes to Scotland Yard they send him to the DTI

Goes to DTI, they send him to Customs and Excise who take him in.

Bit Sweeney like characters and shops himself. The law is only used retrospectively when someone has attempted to leave the country.

Mark asks why people who have been caught haven't been prosecuted. They say it's up to the Attorney General.

Cut to outside Attorney General's office with Mark handcuffed to a cage and phones him, speaks to Rupert Cazalet, Private Secretary to the Attorney General.

Tries to present evidence. Police turn up and advise him he can be arrested for chaining himself to the railing and can he move.

Asks if there is a policy not to prosecute due to fear of the publicity.

They claim Customs haven't handed them any papers.

Packing up the gear and he phones back and says they have had reports but no prosecution. Decision because it wasn't felt that it was needed.

He says Mark sounded like a Nazi. Is that actionable?

So where exactly is the point when you will be prosecuted.

Mark goes on the Big Breakfast show 8:30am, 23rd September 1999.

Going to try and take a teddy bear to a little girl in hospital in Baghdad.

Phones up customs and excise. Some confusion over who would issue a license for the bear until they realise it's not a real bear.

Then speaks to Mark Thompson, Customs and Excise at 9:45 am who suggests they check with French customs when they get there.

Next day they phone the DTI to ask if it is OK for them to get stuff to Amman for pick up by someone from Iraq.

Bloke there says "this is only provisional, but if it is known that any item is going to Iraq, from the UK, an application must be made for a UK export license beforehand." Which contradicts the Customs and Excise advice.

Absurd behaviour over the export of a Teddy Bear.

We have to lift the sanctions on Iraq and make sure they don't sell him any guns.

Kathy Kelly from Voices in the Wilderness video over titles with a harrowing story about the death of a child.

Credits

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate Producer: JACK CHESHIRE

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: LEIGH PANTON

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: TIM HIGHMOOR

Sound Supervisor: KEITH MAYES

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI

Location Sound: SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera: BRIAN ROBERTS

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Location Producer: CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Show 3 - Nestle Baby Milk

Nestle

Baby Milk powder - Nestle largest food manufacturer in the world, their annual budget is $7 billion.

Brand loyalty is important, how can I be loyal to a bar of chocolate?

Problem with baby milk powder. Nothing wrong with he product but something wrong with how it is used.

WHO say if t=you could reverse the downward trend in breast feeding you could save 1.5 million children's lives.

Products not clearly labelled. 1981 WHO developed the WHO code (Nothing to do with Roger Daltrey swinging microphones and trout fishing)

WHO code about the advertising and marketing of baby milk powder, Nestle signed up to it and even give out a charter to members of the public.

"Nestle Does... Comply with both the letter and the spirit of the WHO International Code"

"Nestle Does... Support efforts by governments to implement the International Code"

Also ask the public to bring to their attention any practises in developing countries that do not comply with the WHO code.

Mark's moral duty to bring a few things they had found to their attention

Nescafe launch party on the day of the eclipse in Piccadilly circus. Martine McCutcheon launches new Nescafe sign, 11 August 1999.

Mark speaks to Marion Irving, Chief Press Officer, Nestle UK Ltd.

Tells her their charter is wrong, she says she believes they behave ethically.

She says if people come up with actual evidence then they will act upon it, but people don't.

We went away and started phoning up some of the Southern African countries. Phoned Zimbabwe and got put through to Dr Timothy Stamps the Health Minister and Vice President of the WHO.

Nestle say that Zimbabwe support them and that they comply with the code. He says they do comply with the original 1981 code, but don't necessarily comply with subsequent resolutions which are equally important.

Nestle called a meeting with the parliamentarians (only 3 turned up) and told them that if Zimbabwe put the code into regulations then tey would remove themselves from Zimbabwe!

Prima baby show at Olympia. Nestle have a stall there, time to muck about.

New marketing logo is a blue bear, Mark goes in dressed as the grey bear of truth and hugs the blue bear..

Plays recording of Health minister phone call to staff who aren't interested in listening to any of this. Leave after a few more bear moments.

Then received a tin of baby milk from Mozambique. All instructions are in English. 33 languages ad dialects recognised in Mozambique. English isn't one of them.

Duty bound to tell Nestle about this. Nestle UK refused to talk on camera, said they would fax their answers.

So we went to Switzerland where Nestle have a food museum where we set up a little stall with the tins on show and started phoning up the executives.

No-one in the museum thought for a moment that we hadn't got permission!

Speaks to Geoffrey Fookes, Head of Corporate Affairs, Nestle Suisse S.A. who says he does not give impromptu interviews over the telephone.

We drive round to his office with the evidence that we had on display at the museum.

Huge HQ, went to the boot of the car and were escorted in "This was please, gentlemen".

Sit in concrete room with a view overlooking Lake Geneva. Mark imagines they have underground bunkers with loads of blokes running around in orange or white boiler suits and there's a monorail system or little mini-mokes and somewhere in the middle a big machine going "5 days and 3 hours till countdown.

Eventually Mr Renk walks in and they show him the exhibit, this tin is a breach of the code. He said "that's your interpretation".

Tin from Malawi instructions in English and French. In 1994 the Malawi government asked Nestle to put instructions in Chechewa(sp?), the local language. 5 years later they haven't done it.

Nestle weren't talking to us but we found them at a stall at the Lib Dem conference in Harrogate.

Cut to Mark dressed up as a tin of Lactogen.

Nestle said they agreed to put the Malawi language on the tins but had been having trouble with the Malawi Government. Mark asked if they thought they had been in breach of the WHO code in the intervening 5 years. They haven't answered.

Response on the tin from Mozambique was that it was a rogue tin which had been smuggled in from S Africa to avoid customs duty. They don't market in Mozambique and anyway why isn't there any Afrikaans on the tin either.

Well there is not room on the tin for three languages, yet tins in Switzerland have 3 languages, French German and Italian.

Another tin from Malawi instructions in English Afrikaans and Zulu which is great, but the warning is only in English.

One from Pakistan, no Urdu on it at all.

Nan1 and Nan2 Infant formula and follow-on formula (which must not be given to infants) no appropriate language.

EU Directive - "These products shall be labelled in an appropriate language and in such a way as to avoid any risk of confusion between infant formulae and follow-on formulae."

This prepared in the Netherlands so is subject to EU directives.

Mark rings up Bournemouth MP who is meeting up with a Nestle rep in a hotel in Bournemouth. Mark then rings an MEP (Richard Howitt) who agrees to come along as well.

Mark does an interview about the baby Milk with the MEP with the Nestle reps sat behind them then go and have a chat with Nestle.

Mark makes them very uncomfortable.

Mark asks Nestle if they will remove the statement in their charter that they comply with the WHO code if they are not complying with it.

Tess Kingham is going to take Nestle toe the Advertising standards about their charter. Richard Howitt will raise it in the European Parliament.

Credits

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate Producers: JACK CHESHIRE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: LEIGH PANTON

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: ALAN HADDOW

Sound Supervisor: KEITH NIXON

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI

Location Sound: MARK JELBERT, SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera: BRIAN ROBERTS

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Show 4 - Aldermaston AWE

Nestle

At the Harrogate conference there was a BNFL stall there and Mark couldn't resist running up to them and shouting "see you soon"!

Aldermaston

Did a bit on Sellafield in a previous series. BNFL have had to spend nearly a million quid fixing things to stop the seagulls getting contaminated.

They claim they have an excellent safety record and are very open about any accidents.

This year they have had a nitric acid spill that hospitalised 2 people, they have an allegedly forged health and monitoring certificate, incomplete forms on a nuclear flask and, because a sealed source went missing, they got an improvement notice served on them.

Managed to get hold of some of their on-site briefing on health and safety.

A cable with a plug at one end and bare wires at the other was found plugged in at Thorpe (a repeat occurrence).

BNFL are in a consortium with Lockheed-Martin who had a stall at the labour party conference this year, not that they wish to influence anybody about winning the contract to run Aldermaston.

Aldermaston AWE currently run by Hunting Brae.

2 months into their contract a worker misread a label and poured liquid tritium somewhere he shouldn't have resulting in Tritium being found in the nearby Aldermaston stream which feed the river Kennet which supplies Reading with some of it's drinking water.

1997 they start doing managed discharges into the Aldermaston stream without permission. They are allowed to discharge nuclear waste but they have to do it through the Pangbourne pipeline.

Environment agency found out and held a public meeting at Beale Park, Pangbourne on 5th October 1999. Mark decided to attend.

They claim the environment agency knew about the discharges in 1997 but the environment agency say they only found out about them in 1999.

Mark goes down to Aldermaston where there are signs saying "Photography, sketching and carrying of cameras forbidden"!

On the same day a local MP (Martin Salter) was visiting the site and Mark managed to get hold of his mobile phone number. Took along a skycrane and phoned him from the top of it.

He agrees to a chat afterwards in the crane.

He isn't impressed with the facilities at the site. Current management don't know what's on the site due to the MOD's previous behaviour who just used to bury things on the site.

Aldermaston agree to the interview at 2:30 the next day.

Meet with Dr John Crofts, the "assurance director" of AWE Hunting Brae, who says they are trying to be more open but this is obviously quite painful because we have to get over some embarrassments. They call it "the pain barrier" and you have to get through the pain barrier.

Mark says "I am part of that barrier".

Don't find radioactivity, but there was a movement of Plutonium during a flash flood. Also admits Uranium leaked onto someone else's land.

Started to talk about the people who had been contaminated and went through the 14 cases and he gets the number down to 11, but then admits there have been some more accidents making the total 14.

Mark finds out the plutonium is less well packed than his sandwiches at school.

Mark commends them on their openness and suggests a visitor centre. Dr Crofts says that has been a pipe-dream of theirs for some time!

Put a sign up advertising Visitor centre coming soon.

Credits over shots of AWE and the sign going up.

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate producers: JACK CHESHIRE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles and Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: LEIGH PANTON

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: TONY KEENE

Sound Supervisor: KEITH NIXON

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI, ANDY NEWLYN

Location Sound: SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera: PAUL MUNGEAM

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Credits

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate Producers: JACK CHESHIRE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: LEIGH PANTON

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: TONY KEENE

Sound Supervisor: KEITH NIXON

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI, ANDY NEWLYN

Location Sound: SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera: PAUL MUNGEAM

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Show 5 - ECGD

ECGD - FIRD WHIRL BAY LIF

They underwrite British business. If you're exportin to nother country and they default, the British taxpayer (you, me, Ken Dodd, etc.) cough for it and they put it on their national debt.

It's estimated that about 95% of 3rd world debt owed to Britain comes from the ECGD.

This year, Saudi Arabia has received a billion pounds worth of goods (all military), Brunei has received 0.6 million pounds worth (all military) underwritten by the ECGD. Anyone see a pattern here?

Some of the top consumers of ECGD this year are Indonesia, Turkey, China... anyone see that link yet?

Mark phones up the chief press officer, Robin Ogleby.

MT: "It's Mark Thomas here"

RO: "We've met, we've done gigs together"

RO: "I used to play in a band"

MT: "What Band"

RO: "The Happy End"

MT: "What the 22 piece Marxist Jazz band?"

RO" "Yes"

The band's song titles included

There's nothing quite like money (Kurt Weil)

The East is Red

On Suicide

Solidarity Song

Singing of the Socialist Motherland

Song of the Lower Classes

RO: "We've been doing a lot of Airbuses recent, lots of civilian stuff'

MT: "Much military?"

RO: "Not really."

In the House of Commons Library it says that 51% of the 3 Billion underwritten by the ECGD is military. Higher than it ever was under the Tories.

RO: "Oh is it as much as that?"

MT: "Well you're the fucking press officer, mate!"

MT: "Why do you keep flogging this stuff to dictators?"

RO: "Well the thing is Mark, dictators rarely default"

But what about Indonesia who defaulted on Hawk jets, what about Saddam Hussain? We sold £70 million pounds worth of stuff to him which he defaulted on and we (The taxpayer) ended up paying for. We not only Armed Saddam but we paid for it as well!

RO: "Yes we're quite angry with Saddam Hussain."

The IMF has stated that arms exports using export credits should cease. This is like Pol Pot saying "Hitler went too far".

Currently ECGD breaks even, in a couple of years they estimate £833 million in debt. So Mark tries to get some credit and phones up HSBC bank.

Says they have bit of money left over from the show's budget and are hoping to do a deal with Brazil. An Airbus fitted out with crop spraying equipment. Asks for a 3 million loan.

Then try Nat West trying to get a £5 million loan on a new type of bus with three decks for Mexico City, smaller deck on top for toddlers. Nearly got it!

If you try and find out information about the ECGD deals there is nothing available.

Decide to have a go at Stephen Byers of the DTI at the LSE New Statesman Annual Conference on 8 September 1999 who was speaking about the importance of the Internet and access to information.

Comes to question time at the end, MT gets the microphone and asks a question about the ECGD underwriting of the construction of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey and the fact that the report is being suppressed and won't be made public until after the contract is signed.

Byers says they are going to release the environmental impact assessment at the same time as we make our decision as whether we are going to underwrite it.

Mark grabs him as he comes off stage and he agrees to talk on camera about it.

Get all the facts and send them to his aide in the DTI asking questions about who sells what arms to what countries, how much they have defaulted on, meeting minutes, discussion papers, etc. They phone back and say "no problem".

After much prevarication nothing is forthcoming. Beyers has twice arranged interview dates and then cancelled.

Phone up RO again. As you were so upset with Saddam, they decide to help.

Get a skip lorry full of scrap metal from Iraq (about 70 quids worth)

Phone David Hannah, Parliamentary and Assistant Press Officer ECGD and offer it to them to help write off the debt.

Take the lorry round to the ECGD and try and leave it with them.

Police turn up pretty sharpishly and tell them the lorry is illegally parked so they have to move it on.

Next try the treasury who tell them to fuck off.

Then on to the DTI to ask how the interview with Stephen Byers is coming on, no joy.

Next day, fax arrives from RO, apologising for missing Mark the previous day.

"Sorry I missed you this morning mate. Your scrap metal wheeze was very funny - you should be a comedian. The offer to help reduce the Iraqi debt was a kind one - but have you got written authority from Saddam to act on his behalf? All the very best, Robin Ogleby."

Thursday afternoon phoned up and asked for a copy of the advisory councils member's interests.

They fax over a list of all the directorships. Stupidly went down to companies house and checked there to see if the information matched. Really stupid thing as we now have a shitload of work to do.

5 out of the 11 committee members have factually incorrect information down.

Lesley Knox, The British Linen Bank - 12 undisclosed directorships

Peter Mason, Amec PLC - Undisclosed directorship

Alan Brown, Barclays Capital - Incorrect job description

David Harrison, Lloyds TSB - Incorrect number of directorships

Dr Arnab Banerji - Foreign & Colonial Emerging Markets Ltd - Incorrect directorships.

Mark phones Lesley Knox live on the show (well, live at the recording)

She claims she sent a list of the directorships to the ECGD but can't remember when

Mark gets "The hat of non-conflict of interests" and tries to visit these people.

First stop Nick Tennant, Media Relations Manager, Thames Water plc.

Go back to the ECGD and present the facts (this time without the skip) and get surrounded by security guards who refuse to let them in.

Phone up to try and get a comment, but no response.

Mark goes to the DTI and they agree to take a copy but again security refuse to let them in.

Still no interview with Byers. Called him at home, no answer but hen got a ring-back call from his partner who takes a long time to tell them he's not in.

Mark calls him from the show and the phone is hung up immediately at the other end.

Consultation process is extended by a few days and they invite people to phone in and comment on the plan. Mark gives out the number of the ECGD helpline.

Closing titles.

Written and performed by MARK THOMAS

Assistant Producers JACK CHESHIRE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Researchers DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer CHRIS ALLEN

Floor Manager GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor TIM HIGHMOOR

Sound Supervisor KEITH MAYES

Lighting Director ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera JAMES SALIGARI

Location Sound SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera JULES SENIOR

Dubbing Mixer ELI PERL

On Line Editor NICK KING

Off Line Editor STEVE TEMPIA

Director MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel 4

Credits

Written and performed by: MARK THOMAS

Associate Producers: JACK CHESHIRE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Researchers: DUNCAN BARNES, SUSAN FOULIS

Production Team: JAYNE HANCOCK, NICK MICOURIS

Production Assistant: CHARLOTTE HILLS

Production Manager: CATHERINE STRAUSS

Titles & Design: BLAZKHO

Scenic Supervisor: GABRIEL MOSSA

Gaffer: STEVE SMITH

Vision Mixer: CHRIS ALLEN

Floor Manager: GRIFF EVANS

OB Camera Supervisor: TIM HIGHMOOR

Sound Supervisor: KEITH MAYES

Lighting Director: ROBIN THORBURN

Location Camera: JAMES SALIGARI

Location Sound: SEAN TAYLOR

Additional Camera: JULES SENIOR

Dubbing Mixer: ELI PERL

On Line Editor: NICK KING

Off Line Editor: STEVE TEMPIA

Director: MICHAEL CUMMING

Producer: GEOFF ATKINSON

Made by VERA for Channel Four

Show 6 - David Shayler and the OSA

David Shayler

A weird one and a half, weirder than Ian Paisley mounting Delia Smith!

Mark was reading an article by David Shayler in Punch that said that MI5 had a file on Mark.

Has him down as a Trostkyite sympathiser. There are anarchist mates of Mark's that will grill him for days over this. Mark? A Trot?

Phoned up David and had a little chat with him 5 minutes before talking to Jack Straw at a freedom of Information meeting. Bumrushed Jack as he was coming off stage to ask if he knew if there were any MI5 files on comedians.

Most spies are civil servants. report published recently by the Intelligence and Security committee that oversees MI5. A few bits of interesting information.

In the interest of openness they will publish the expenditure over the years for the agencies, but blanked it out in the published report.

Some detail left in. Bill for refurbishment of Thames House MI5 Building for tables, chairs, carpets, etc. was £227 million!

Another phone call from David Shayler - would Mark come to chat to him in Paris.

Paris - 25 November 1999.

There are spies in Britain who are not being prosecuted even though MI5 knows about them.

Including a 1970's trade union leader who gave arms secrets to the KGB.

David has evidence that he hands to Mark for him to hand in as he is likely to get arrested if he goes in the British Embassy.

Mark doesn't want this information to fall into the wrong hands so he takes along a small bodyguard of 4 French acrobats. There's a reason for this as in Diamonds are Forever Sean Connery gets kicked about by Bambi and Thumper the Flik-Flacking ninja queens.

Mark delivers the evidence but he drops it on the floor. Mark asks for ID of the embassy person that he hands the details over to before doing a bijou bit of Acrobat himself on leaving the embassy