Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party


by Sunny Hundal    
4:56 pm - October 11th 2011

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In July last year, trustees of Atlantic Bridge, a charity founded by defence secretary Liam Fox, agreed to cease all their current activities immediately.

The charity was founded to promote closer ties between senior Conservatives and their US allies, and was found by the Charity Commission of promoting party-political activity.

Liam Fox’s close friend Adam Werrity was the executive director and sole employee of Atlantic Bridge.

This week the trustees finally agreed to dissolve Atlantic Bridge after agreeing that it could not continue its operations in any other way.

But as Labour MP Kevan Jones says:

We need to know who funded this organisation and exactly what Liam Fox and Adam Werritty’s roles were.

This raises yet more questions about the connection between Fox and Werritty and people will expect full answers sooner rather than later. We need to be clear that the activities of the Atlantic Bridge had nothing to do with Liam Fox’s activities as secretary of state for defence.

Here is where it gets interesting.

Atlantic Bridge closely worked with a US group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). According to ALEC:

The project aims to foster positive relationships between conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic, so that they may further the ideals exemplified by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

So what is ALEC all about? The group is mostly funded by the backers of the Tea Party – the Koch Foundation – to the tune of $608,858 between 1997 and 2009.

Two US organisations – AlecExposed and Alecwatch – track its activities and accuse it of being a front group for corporate lobbyists.

But ALEC is mostly a front for the Koch foundation, is well known for lobbying on behalf of the tobacco industry, fighting Obama’s healthcare reforms and promoting climate change denialism.

ALEC has also paid for flights for Daniel Hannan MEP to the United States, just before he started getting very complimentary about the Tea Party movement.

Atlantic Bridge should come clean over who was funding its activities.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Tim Fenton

Oooh, prise open that worm can!

I’ve often wondered if the Kochs are funding any of the right and/or libertarian leaning Astroturf lobby groups in the UK.

There will now be a long period of silence.

2. TimJ

So what is ALEC all about? The group is mostly funded by the backers of the Tea Party – the Koch Foundation – to the tune of $608,858 between 1997 and 2009.

This would seem to be up to your usual standards Sunny. For a start, the Koch Foundation don’t fund the Tea Party (or indeed ALEC).
http://www.thekochfoundation.org/

For a second, describing The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation as ‘the backers of the Tea Party’ seems a bit reductive.

Charles’ and David’s foundations have together provided millions of dollars to a variety of organizations, usually libertarian or conservative think tanks, such as Americans for Prosperity Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Mercatus Center, the Institute for Humane Studies, Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Institute for Justice, the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, the Institute for Energy Research, the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment, Heritage Foundation, the Manhattan Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, the Reason Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute.

3. BenSix

Also Pfizer…

http://www.powerbase.info/index.php?title=Gabrielle_Bertin

Which is interesting – if you’re into that kind of thing – because the Bridge held a conference, when Fox was Shadow Health Secretary, at which a Pfizer representative – along with others from GlaxonSmithKline and Novartis – heard and gave speeches against regulation and on the question of whether “the current UK health care model [is] sustainable”.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050331020013/www.theatlanticbridge.com/articles/ScienceConference.htm

4. BenSix

They didn’t, however, have “links to the Tea Party”. (Unless we’re playing a game of degrees of separation.) Their “links” were far more clear and unpleasant than that: Kissinger, Rove, Ashcroft, Giuliani, Lehman Bros. and others. See:

http://bensix.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/a-stroll-across-the-atlantic-bridge/

(Warning: link to self.)

5. Sally

Yes they do fund the tea party, and a lot of other scummy right wing astro turf groups. They also are involved with Iran,which has just come out into the open. But no surprise to see our obiedient butler trolls spinning for their corporate masters.

Would not be the least surprised if Fox has connections with the tea party. They love corporate welfare, just like his dodgy mates.

6. Guano

It’s not the Tea Party angle that is particularly interesting: I don’t think that the Tea Party are going to try to influence UK politics. It is the links to ALEC that are interesting. Some high-power lobbyists in the USA appear to have been been able to gain a strong foothold in the UK through Fox and Werritty and Atlantic Bridge. The agenda is beginning to look familiar: changes in voter resigstration, privatisation of public services.

7. Sunny Hundal

For a start, the Koch Foundation don’t fund the Tea Party (or indeed ALEC).

Nice try at obfuscation Tim J – but it won’t fly
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/american-legislative-exchange/

I’ve amended the bad link in my post.

8. Richard W

Bloomberg did a comprehensive expose of Koch Industries abundant criminality.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-02/koch-brothers-flout-law-getting-richer-with-secret-iran-sales.html

9. Cherub

In retrospect this isn’t really surprising. It’s good to see it in black and white. I hope the press pick up on it and more detail emerges.

10. Brian Moylan

Getting somehere :)

Story mirrored at http://bit.ly/atlanticbridge

11. Paul Odtaa

From Guardian: Liam Fox, his adviser, and an irregular meeting in Dubai – 7th October. My concern – Atlantic Bridge – run from Fox’s office in Portcullis House, (ie funded by taxpayers), a charity that did no charitable work and so was closed down by the Charity Commission.

Soon after Fox founded the Atlantic Bridge charity, which was designed to promote the “special relationship” between the UK and the US, he asked Werritty to run the charity as executive director. The charity was backed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) and the hedge fund millionaire Michael Hintze.

The funding of the charity, which was supported by senior Tories and patronised by Lady Thatcher, allowed Werritty and Fox to frequently travel to events in America. In one instance Fox flew back from Washington to the UK in Hintze’s private jet, the register of members’ interests shows. It has been suggested that Werritty was also present on the jet.

While in London, Werritty ran the day-to-day operations of the charity from room 341 in the MPs’ block at Portcullis House, which was provided to Fox at taxpayers’ expense while he was in opposition until last year. Staff in the building still remember Werritty, who stands taller than Fox and has a receding hairline.

Werritty worked for the Atlantic Bridge until last summer when the regulator demanded that its “current activities must cease immediately” because “the activities of the charity have not furthered any of its other charitable purposes in any way”.

12. Trooper Thompson

The Kochtopus Strikes Again!

13. SGalloway

Interesting link about Atlantic Bridge trip to Minnesota with more pics of the happy couple on the McCarthy Center website http://www.nickcolemanmn.com
NB Eugene McCarthy not Joe !

14. Cherub

What’s Werrity holding in that picture @13? It looks like some kind of support.

15. TimJ

Nice try at obfuscation Tim J – but it won’t fly

Not obfuscation Sunny, just accuracy. The Koch Foundation is an entirely separate institution with no ties to the Koch brothers. I’m just holding out for precision…

16. Flowerpower

….. Sunny….. why not just change the name from “Koch Foundation” in the OP.? The KF, as Tim has pointed out, is a harmless organization that funds churches and schools in Africa, but you have them pegged as the fons et origo of all extreme right-wing, climate-denying eeevil.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Jill Hayward

    Revealed: How Liam Fox and friend Adam Werrity are linked to the Tea Party movement http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  2. V

    Revealed: How Liam Fox and friend Adam Werrity are linked to the Tea Party movement http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  3. Zack Wilson

    Revealed: How Liam Fox and friend Adam Werrity are linked to the Tea Party movement http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  4. Sean

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/oIbM50SX

  5. Andy S

    The gift that just keeps on giving: Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity's links to the Tea Party http://t.co/McleexD8 (via @libcon)

  6. Conrad Turner

    RT @andy_s_64: The gift that just keeps on giving: Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity's links to the Tea Party http://t.co/JEnQKZSl

  7. Alex Braithwaite

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/LRK8BpeK via @libcon

  8. Lanie Ingram

    Revealed: How Liam Fox and friend Adam Werrity are linked to the Tea Party movement http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  9. Andy Richards

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/lbP9RsWU

  10. Nicholas Ripley

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/0Usn2V8O via @libcon

  11. sunny hundal

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  12. Martin Shovel

    RT @sunny_hundal: Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/4VasjTsz (from yesterday)

  13. Lescromps

    RT @sunny_hundal: Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/pFViDJrb (from yesterday

  14. Bern O'Donoghue

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  15. Matt Leys

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  16. Julia Hines

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  17. Tane Piper

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  18. Nell Epona Bridges

    Hmm RT @sunny_hundal: Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/BDST383m (from yesterday)

  19. The Tweets of March

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  20. AJ McKenna

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  21. Rob

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  22. Ellen Doherty

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  23. Aaron Chandra

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  24. Susan Michie

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  25. TheCreativeCrip

    Hmm RT @sunny_hundal: Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/BDST383m (from yesterday)

  26. JulietteHarkin

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  27. Eileen Cowen

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/7wX2HFBy via @zite

  28. Chris Hansen’s blog » Blog Archive » Oh, what a tangled web we weave, Political Department, Tory Division

    [...] Bridge, according to another article, has links to the Tea Party in the United States. So you Americans are also concerned in [...]

  29. Nev Eryoumind

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  30. GaryC

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  31. Ian Stanley

    Liam Fox linked to far right wing Tea Party – best link is yet to come, stand by. http://t.co/k6TvrWsm

  32. Godfrey Lant

    Liam Fox linked to far right wing Tea Party – best link is yet to come, stand by. http://t.co/k6TvrWsm

  33. Molly

    Revealed: How Liam Fox and friend Adam Werrity are linked to the Tea Party movement http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  34. The Tory Al Capone? « robcarr.org

    [...] lots you can read about the various twists and turns of this story and it would certainly seem that the Secretary of [...]

  35. NickColeman

    More on Liam Fox, right-wing UK pol who spoke to EugeneMcCarthyCenter in MN in 2008…he is also big with ALEC: http://t.co/COjQ4xMC

  36. NickColeman

    Hot Question: Does Koch Bros "ALEC" pay for right-wing guests at McCarthyCenter in MN? http://t.co/COjQ4xMC http://t.co/jpmk5R5O

  37. fljf

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  38. paulstpancras

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  39. Graham Walker

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  40. No Jury No Justice

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  41. Gideon Osborne

    Revealed: Liam Fox and his friend Adam Werrity’s links to the Tea Party http://t.co/DFCN7AWW (from yesterday)

  42. Cruncher Moutinho

    Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/H3W04cUa via @libcon #Tory SCUM!

  43. kanu_356ducts15-16

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/WmRt5tUo

  44. Mark Carrigan

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/4UGwTNzX via @libcon

  45. Jon Foster

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/4UGwTNzX via @libcon

  46. Mark de Manbey

    Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/4UGwTNzX via @libcon

  47. pinners

    By @Sunny_Hundal Revealed: Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/YbXnO7im via @BantheEDL #Fox

  48. sunny hundal

    (2/2) … on Tuesday this week I also revealed Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party… http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  49. Martin

    (2/2) … on Tuesday this week I also revealed Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party… http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  50. Rob Ballington

    (2/2) … on Tuesday this week I also revealed Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party… http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  51. peter fainton

    (2/2) … on Tuesday this week I also revealed Liam Fox and Werrity’s links to the Tea Party… http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  52. sunny hundal

    Still think Observer front-page story on Liam Fox & Tea Party http://t.co/8VdOhnRP should have credited @libcon http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  53. Sophie Khan

    Still think Observer front-page story on Liam Fox & Tea Party http://t.co/8VdOhnRP should have credited @libcon http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  54. Leon Green

    Still think Observer front-page story on Liam Fox & Tea Party http://t.co/8VdOhnRP should have credited @libcon http://t.co/DFCN7AWW

  55. Robert Frost

    Still think Observer front-page story on Liam Fox & Tea Party http://t.co/8VdOhnRP should have credited @libcon http://t.co/DFCN7AWW





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