The Observer, Mr. Tiny Rowland And M.i.6 (No.3)

EDM number 636 in 1989-90, proposed by DN Campbell-Savours on 01/03/1990.

That this House is increasingly of the view effective scrutiny of newspaper acquisitions may have been effectively avoided in the case of Mr Tiny Rowland taking control of The Observer by a failure on the part of MI6 to disclose the nature of its true relationship with Mr Rowland and to make its files on him available to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; believes that the Rowland/Lonrho/MI6 links date from the chairmanship of Lonrho of Sir Joseph Ball, a former head of British intelligence; finds it of further interest that, after taking effective control of Lonrho in 1961, Mr Rowland had on his board Mr Nicholas Elliott, another senior MI6 officer and a man whose high level secret service activities warrant mention in Spycatcher; notes the suggestion that Mr Elliott was Mr Rowland's formal link with MI6; is not therefore surprised to see Mr Rowland's confirmation of 20th November 1975 that his file was so confidential that a Department of Trade and Industry Inspector was only permitted to view it if accompanied by two MI6 officers; believes that the Monopolies and Mergers Commission Observer inquiry was deficient; is disturbed by what may prove to be a close link between MI6 and an apparently independent newspaper with a radical tradition; and calls upon Mr Tiny Rowland to divest himself of control of The Observer.

This motion has been signed by a total of 1 MPs.