Just when we thought the Carmichael affair couldn’t get any murkier…Another Woopsie has occurred……And this time he has brought the whole Liberal Democrat Party with him. And not only them, but the previously well regarded Joseph Rowntree Foundation too.
Carmichael having failed in his attempt to get the Orkney 4 to pay for his legal expenses and fees….The Judges having decided that he was a lying git, in legal speak,
has been failing miserably with his crowd funder, so has looked to his pals in the Liberal Democrats to stump up for him.
The party at such a low ebb most certainly could not be openly seen to do so……But wait…what did we find out today?
It turns out that the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust,an offshoot of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, have given him a grant of £34,000 seemingly ” to uphold existing case law about the circumstances in which a legitimately elected MP can be unseated”
This from their own website:
“The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited reserves the right to omit a grant if we decide that, to achieve the grant’s purpose or to protect the personal safety of those undertaking the work, it is not appropriate to post the information to this site.
The JRSST Charitable Trust (Charity Registration No. 247498) is endowed by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited and only gives grants in areas closely related to the work of the main Trust. The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited is a non-charitable trust of which all the directors are trustees of The JRSST Charitable Trust.”
Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd
What do we do?
We fund political campaigns in the UK to promote democratic reform, civil liberties and social justice.
The JRSST Charitable Trust
(Charity Registration No. 247498)
was endowed by The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited and only gives charitable grants in areas closely related to the work of the main Trust. All Directors of The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd are also trustees of The JRSST Charitable Trust. Grants made are listed on the grants awarded page. Please note that we do not accept unsolicited applications to The JRSST Charitable
,to campaign on LGBT issues in the lead up to the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections
While as the Trust Ltd can be far more direct about its political stance.
Other than to Carmichael, it has made a £44,000 grant to the Association of Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillors in 2015.
The fact that a Charitable vehicle can be used in such a way as the Charitable Trust has been, should be fully investigated.
Well that is the background to Carmichael grant to pay for his court expenses.
The question being, Why did this Trust do such a thing?
Now it gets even murkier.
The Trust ltd and Charitable Trust have 7 Directors/Trustees
Chairman of the Reform Trust ltd is Sir Nick Harvey former LIB DEM MP for North Devon until unseated last year.
director Baroness Sarah Virginia Brinton is a LIB DEM peer and President of the Liberal Democrats.
director Mandy Cormack, was the founder chair of the Liberal Party’s campaign for electoral reform.
director Alison Goldsworthy is also another Lib Dem activist
director Christopher Greenfield is a Lib Dem activist and stood for election 4 times for them.
So there we have it… 5 out of 7 directors and trustees all closely connected to the Lib Dems at a very high level.
But wait….there is more…..
Lets look at previous directors and trustees….and see what we find?
Lord Shutt Liberal Democrat peer and previous secretary to the Trust.
Lord Currie director Lib Dem peer
Lord Smith of Clifton Lib Dem peer
Lord Kirkwood, formerly known as Archie Kirkwood Lib Dem MP for Roxburgh
And the Coup de grace ……drumroll…… one Danny Alexander…
I think we can safely say that the Liberal Democrats have been found out giving that lying toad Carmichael a back hander…
But in the process have now alerted us to the Joseph Rowntree reform Trust, and brought the Joseph Rowntree Foundations previous good name into disrepute.
This really should have been all over BBC Scotland news last night…..not a peep.
I have messaged the Trust ltd asking them to explain their justification in giving Carmichael this grant for court costs, when the Judges refused him.
I shan’t hold my breath for a reply of any honesty…..It just wouldn’t fit the Carmichael way.
Auld Acquaintance 
Great journalism. Do a search of the MSM Herald for Rowntree Trust and find this ironic clarification. Maybe they will clarify this clarification?
“Joseph Rowntree Foundation
IN the Business Comment on February 26, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation was referred to as ”left-of-centre”. We are happy to point out that the foundation is a charitable trust which is independent from political faction.”
The Foundation is not directly linked to a political organisation in itself….but it would appear that Its offshoot the JRRT is..
JRRT is one of several Trusts set up by the Rowntree Chocolate man however it is not a Charity as are the others. It rides on the back of the Charitable Trusts and hides in their reflected light.
DO NOT GET CONFUSED!
It is a limited company and was set up as a fund source for political shenanigans and is a ‘Liberal’ organisation that makes its money from property speculation,ownership and management.
This is their somewhat ambiguous statement ….
Does the Trust support the Liberal Democrats?
The Trust has made grants to individuals and organisations within all three major parties. Over many decades, successive Boards of Directors have, however, believed in the importance of strengthening the one political party that has most consistently promoted democratic reform and defended civil
liberties in Britain – causes that are at the very heart of the Trust’s purpose.
All donations are declared to the Electoral Commission by the recipients, and – in the spirit of openness – we also, on a voluntary basis, send the Commission an annual list of recipients of political grants. Expenditure is also shown in our audited accounts at Companies House.
If it smells like excreta it can be used as manure!
More power to your elbow good sir…
Full marks to you sir, for your article , time spent investigating it ,and producing such a detailed exposure , its an absolute disgrace that these ` covert practices ` go on in such supposedly honourable positions , possibly in truth the main offenders are the ` law society/ Institute of accountants ` as the majority of all parties are headed by someone connected to the law society / accountancy and all these practices are manipulated ` within the law ` ( in the titles – limited etc ) albeit in very murky waters , if the working man were attempting these tactics they would be hunted down until some form of ` offence ` could be levelled at them , Sadly now I detest giving to Charities just knowing that the majority of the ` donation ` is getting ` mis-appropriately allocated ` to feed the unhealthy scum that forms on the surface / top of the pot ,often 6 £ figure salaries , when I was younger most ` Charities ` were run by volunteers and the ` genuine ` needy , mostly benefited , not the greedy , now most charities are ` big business ` for the ` professional professions ` , sad times in my personal view . Thanks again for your informative exposure .its like these pedophile investigations within the higher ranks of society , there permitted to a certain level then the ranks close in and barriers block out true justice for society . so I think you will as you say `shan`t hold your breath ` they wont be keen in giving you much of a reply , or it will be along the lines of we thank you for your enquiry which is being investigated . ……………………………………. how long does your investigation take ……………………………………………. ???????????? 😦
Thanks David.. That is it for now, as far as my research goes. No laws or tax rules have been technically broken. However, it has brought into the light, as the Quakers like to do, that the JRRT has been hijacked by the Lib Dems.
I know of at least one Scottish Quaker who backed the Orkney 4, and he is livid and asking questions within the Society of Friends as to why the JRRT has been allowed to fall into the hands of a political party.
I can smell from my bedroom that the whole thing stinks .Charities exist to give jobs to the old-boy network,and keep the establishment in funds,it doesn’t help the needy nor the poor or ill,OK 10% maybe if they are lucky.
In this instance the JRRT is not a charity, but its arm the JRSST is….although it would seem that the JRSST is hardly a Charity at all, but rather a front for allowing Liberal political research to be funded. Within the rules as they stand….but sailing very close to the wind in my opinion.
Perhaps they could wangle a way to pay the outstanding police bill for the Scottish Lib-Dem conference. I believe it’s a cracker!
Surprised they hadn’t thought of that…..but maybe they did, and just thought It would be too obvious?
As far as I am concerned, ALL Rowntree Trusts are now tainted.
It is rather unfortunate to say the least, because I for one have had great respect for the work that the Foundation has carried out.
However, the Foundation now need to do something about this offshoot, and need to do something about it urgently.
If they do not carry out a root and branch clear out, they will indeed be terminally tainted.
the ball is firmly in the Foundations court now.
On their website when applying for funding it clearly states on a list of what it will not pay is legal fees. Work that one out.
Indeed!
Fabius Cunctator, the Fabian Delayer of. in terms of “The Scotch Case”, democracy, and self-determination – in all his and her guises – blatantly pro-active unmasked again given this is their core, common, Fabian infiltrationist MO since their inception as the Fabian Society alongside the Rowntree Foundation’s founding.
Superficial democrats and progressives.
Active shysters since their get-go.
The JRRT is not an “offshoot” of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is entirely separate from the JRRT. It cannot “do” anything about JRRT, any more than can you or I.
It would appear you are correct in that…In as much as the Foundation cannot do anything about the Trust… The Trust seems to have run out of control, only 1 of the Directors can be identified as being a Quaker..
But they are very much linked, even if acting independently of each other.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi4p4yd-uDLAhWDXRQKHR5DC5EQFgg8MAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.josephrowntree.org.uk%2F&usg=AFQjCNHcFciCkh4cQoRY-BHSfMwhwiT73A&sig2=H7N_mnEcHM-ZQ1zhlIckyw
I agree that the Trust’s decision is incomprehensible & its statement indicated a poor understanding of the court case which most certainly was not “vexatious”.
Trying to get through this maze of Rowntrees…. It would appear that the Trust was indeed set up to promote the Liberal party…and that it has continued to do so throughout it’s history.
As such….there is nothing intrinsically wrong with their giving to a Liberal Democrat politician…even if they have driven a horse and cart through their own funding rules in order to do so.
These rules stipulate that they do not gift to Individuals, nor legal fees.
The fact that the vast, if not all, of its directors are all highly connected within the Liberal Democrats,suggests that this has been a back door approval and support for a dishonest politician.
Given the Judges statements in the case… which were pretty unequivocal…I can see why this back door route has been taken.
It reflects very badly on the Liberal Democrats, which is indeed unfortunate,but of their own making.
It also has dragged the Joseph Rowntree name through the mud with it, which is fairly unforgivable.
http://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/joseph-rowntree-reform-trust/