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Esther McVey is a long-time friend of Kate McCann and was spokesperson
for Madeleine's Fund from its launch in May 2007.
Esther and Kate first met in 1986, when they were both 18, at the North East Technical College in West Derby, where they
were studying A-levels together.
She joined the board of Madeleine's Fund on 20 June 2007 and continued her role as spokesperson for the
Fund until her resignation, announced in January 2008.
Ms McVey has remained-tight lipped as to the reason, or reasons, behind her resignation - a rather
ironic position, considering her desire to become a Member of Parliament and given her former and current roles
in the media/PR.
Her own website, on which she once displayed an online petition in support of the McCanns, now contains no mention of
Madeleine McCann at all.
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Esther McVey
Age: 40, single, no children.
Profession: The formerGMTV presenter and TV and radio personality scaled
down her media career seven years ago in favour of taking a greater role in her family's construction company and launching
a women's business network.
Constituency: WirralWest.
Hope of victory: She cut Labour's majority in her constituency to 1,000 at
the last Election.
New Tory credentials: Her background is hardly Tory - her grandfathers were
a docker and a railway worker. But she says: "My inspiration is William Hesketh Lever, the Merseyside soap baron who became
one of the greatest philanthropists. His was truly compassionate Conservatism."
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Esther McVey was educated at Belvedere School Liverpool before going to Queen Mary and Westfield University London to
study law then City University to do a post graduate course in Radio Journalism before working
in the media both as producer and presenter, hosting shows such as GMTV, BBC1's The Heaven and Earth Show
, Holiday and BBC1's How do they do that? Channel 4's legal series ‘Nothing But The Truth' BBC2's award winning current
affairs programme Reportage… BBC1's Holiday Show as well as consumer series the Really Useful Show
and Buying Properties Abroad Series among others….
Esther has debated at Oxford University and even performed The Vagina Monologues at the Empire Theatre Liverpool….
Had her own talk show on Radio 5
Making It specialises in communications, public relations, media training and presentational skills.
Esther is a consultant to several tv companies and works with Sky news, ITV and BBC has her own column locally in the
Echo.
Esther is also on the board of directors for a national radio station.
(Source: Winning Women, The fastest growing women’s business networking in the North West created by Esther McVey)
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About Esther - Parliamentary Candidate |
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About Esther
Aged 38, Esther was born and brought up in Liverpool and educated at Belvedere school before going
to Queen Mary and Westfield University to study law. After graduating in law she did a post graduation course in radio journalism
before embarking on a successful career in the media, both as a presenter and producer. Esther lives in West Kirby and is
a director of the family construction company J.G. McVey and Co Ltd, which is based in Liverpool.
Esther is Managing Director of her own company Making It (UK) Ltd; which specialises in public relations,
strategic marketing and founded 'Winning Women' an organisation which helps women set up in business as well as advance on
the business ladder, and for which, Esther was nominated for both Merseyside woman of the Year and Cheshire Woman of the Year.
Last year Esther developed and opened office and incubator space to help small companies set up in business - receiving acclaim
from The Merseyside Entrepreneur Commission.
Esther is patron of 'Wirral Holistic Therapeutic Cancer Care' as well being a patron of 'Full of Life' a charity
for disabled children and their families. She is an ambassador for 'Action Medical Research', a charity that funds medical
research, and 'Wirral Women and children's Aid'. She is a Governor of West Kirby Primary School and is also active in many
residents, traders and community groups.
On the forthcoming campaign Esther said: "I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead and to continue to work with
all the people who have helped me over the last 3 years. The next election will be a challenge and I know I will have to work
hard for every vote. There is a 1097 majority to overturn; and I and the team will be working flat out to do just that."
"The people of Wirral West have been badly let down by this Labour Government. As well as highlighting their appalling
record I will be putting forward positive solutions and ideas to make Wirral West a better place to live and work. I want
to be the champion of all the hard working families, give our children the best start in life and help struggling pensioners
to have the dignity and security in retirement they so deserve."
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'Help Us Find Madeleine', 09 May 2007 |
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| Click to enlarge |
This screenshot shows the petition that appeared on Esther McVey's blog from 09 May 2007. The petition has since
been removed leaving no reference to Madeleine McCann anywhere on Esther McVey's site.
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Online petition launched, 09 May 2007 |
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By Caroline Innes
May 9 2007
Extract:
At home, Wirral TV businesswoman and broadcaster Esther McVey, who became friends with Mrs McCann while they were studying
A-levels together in 1986 at the then North East Technical College in West Derby, also called for action.
She launched an on-line petition to call for greater transparency in the investigation, and pushed for a dual investigation
between the British and the Portuguese authorities.
Friends who are in constant contact with the McCanns said the petition was in line with the couple’s wishes.
"This case has touched everybody’s heart in every way imaginable. It is not just those of us who know the family
who have been affected by this," said Miss McVey.
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New petition at Winning Women, 12 May 2007 |
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New petition at Winning Women Winning Women (petition now removed)
Welcome to Winning Women - Esther McVey's Networking Organisation for Liverpool, Chester, Manchester
Saturday, 12 May 2007
"This appeal has been sent to the first Lady of Portugal; Mrs Maria Cavaco Silva, as a wife, mother and daughter asking
for her personally to make an appeal to every wife, mother and daughter in Portugal to help find Madeleine, to help keep the
search and investigation going."
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Esther McVey - "I'm a small cog in a giant machine", 22 August 2007 |
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By PADDY SHENNAN
Aug 22 2007
Extract:
Soon after Madeleine was taken on the night of May 3, people here in Kate McCann’s home city, in Gerry’s
home city of Glasgow, in the family home of Leicestershire and elsewhere wanted to do something practical to help –
and, within two weeks, the fund had been set up.
In Liverpool, businesswoman Esther McVey, who became friends with Kate while they were studying at the then North East
Technical College in West Derby, became involved. She launched an on-line petition to call for greater transparency in the
police investigation, and pushed for a dual investigation between the British and Portuguese authorities.
Meanwhile, Madeleine's Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned Ltd was soon up and running, following initial donations from
a group of doctors in Leicestershire.
Countless members of the public also wanted to fund the campaign, which – again, by terrible necessity –
had to develop quickly so it could be run as efficiently as possible.
Esther McVey is now one of the fund's six directors, with the others being Peter Hubner, a retired consultant; Brian
Kennedy, Madeleine’s great uncle and a retired head teacher; John McCann, Gerry’s brother and a medical representative;
Doug Skehan, clinical director in cardiology at Glenfield hospital in Leicester and Philip Tomlinson, a solicitor and former
coroner in Leicestershire.
"I'm a small cog in a giant machine," says Esther, who adds: "I knew Kate from the year we were at North East Tech, before
I went off to do law and she went off to study medicine at university.
"We had a brilliant year and we were good mates. I lived in Aigburth, Kate lived in Allerton and we knocked about together."
Madeleine's Fund is a non-charitable, not-for-profit company which was established to help find Madeleine, to support
her family and to bring her abductors to justice. Any surplus funds will be used to help families and missing children in
the UK, Portugal and elsewhere in similar circumstances.
Since Madeleine's abduction, awareness of cases of child abduction and exploitation has greatly increased and Esther
McVey says: "Madeleine is very much a beacon, who has shone a light into the very dark area of child abduction and missing
children."
It has been reported that Kate and Gerry could be preparing to return home to Leicestershire next month, partially for
financial reasons as they have refused to use the fund to help pay their living expenses.
According to reports, only £67,000 of the fund has been spent with the McCanns, themselves, having only claimed expenses
for flights and accommodation on campaign-related trips and for stationery to make posters – although many people who
have made donations would no doubt want and expect Kate and Gerry to use the money to go towards their living expenses while
they are in Portugal.
Meanwhile, Esther McVey points out that invoices are continually coming in for various things including, for example,
lawyers' services. As a result, she says it's difficult to give current numbers regarding monies spent, but says: "It’s
significantly more than the quoted figure."
But while the campaign can be as well-organised as possible, no one can say what direction it will take next: "This is
completely unchartered territory and, as such, things are unpredictable and there is no pattern," adds Esther.
Kate and Gerry McCann, their families, friends and supporters across the world, however, can at least tell themselves
they are leaving no stone unturned.
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Esther McVey talks of 'best practice charity laws', 27 August 2007 |
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Madeleine: Now Portuguese press claims scent of corpse was found on McCann's keys Daily Mail
Last updated at 00:42 27 August 2007
Extract:
Former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, who runs her own PR consultancy and is the Conservative prospective parliamentary
candidate for Wirral West, is among the directors as is Mr McCann's brother, 48-year-old pharmaceutical sales rep John McCann,
and Mrs McCann's uncle Brian Kennedy, 68, a retired headteacher.
Retired hospital consultant Peter Hubner, 64, hospital director Douglas Skehan, 54, and former Leicestershire coroner
Philip Tomlinson, 76, are the other directors of the fund, set up within two weeks of Madeleine's disappearance on May 3.
Ms McVey said: "The McCanns very much know and are aware of how the money had come together. They know it's from pensioners
and kids in schools and they want it spent as carefully as possible. Because we're a not-for-profit limited company they are
very much aware that we abide by the best practice charity laws."
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Esther McVey talks about McCanns legal defence costs, 12 September 2007 |
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From Telejornal, RTP1, September 12 2007
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McCanns won't tap Madeleine fund to pay legal bills Reuters
12-09-2007
Statement from Esther McVey:
Madeleine's Fund was set up to: Find Madeleine; support the family and bring the abductor or abductors to justice;
and, subject to that, help other missing children.
With the sudden, dramatic, and unexpected turn of events at the weekend, the directors had to consider whether
legal defence costs could be paid by the fund.
The board has taken advice from Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP and Christopher McCall QC.
The board has been advised that payment of Gerry and Kate's legal defence costs would be legally permissable
subject to conditions about repayment in the event of a guilty conviction.
The directors of the fund discussed this today.
The 2 family directors, Brian Kennedy and John McCann, withdrew from the meeting when the decision was made.
I chaired that meeting.
The fund directors realise there is not only a legal answer but recognise too the spirit which underlies the generous
donations to Madeleine's Fund, which it's the directors responsibility to steer.
For this reason, the fund directors have decided not to pay for Kate and Gerry's legal defence costs.
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Tory hopeful McVey facing tough battles on two fronts, 14
September 2007
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Tory hopeful McVey facing tough battles on two fronts Independent
By Henry Deedes
Friday, 14 September 2007
The glamorous former GMTV presenter Esther McVey is currently embroiled in two Herculean battles.
McVey, right, a former regular on the BBC show Heaven and Earth, is in the news as she is handling PR for the
Madeleine Fund, which was set up to help pay for the McCanns' search for their daughter. She is also trying to become a Tory
MP.
McVey is down to stand for the Conservatives at the next election in the marginal seat of Wirral West, which she narrowly
failed to win in 2005 by just over 1,000 votes. "Yes, she's definitely standing there again," says a Tory spokesman. "She
was actually re-selected pretty quickly after the last election."
Of course her involvement in the McCann saga could prove problematic, not just if things get worse for the McCanns in
the press over the next few days. If Gordon Brown were to call a snap election in the autumn, she'd also be forced to chose
between the two jobs. What to do?
"There is a worry her involvement could harm her election prospects," acknowledges one Conservative HQ insider. "Obviously
no one at party HQ will directly speak to Esther about this as they won't want to be seen to be interfering in such a sensitive
issue."
Should Esther finally be elected, it would mark a touching reunion with her former boyfriend and current Shadow Culture
Minister Ed Vaizey. McVey once divulged that the now happily married Ed used to propose to her "every two weeks".
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Comment: This article is interesting because it states that Esther is 'handling PR for the Madeleine Fund'.
This would appear to suggest that her involvement in Madeleine's Fund ran deeper than simply being the spokesperson. If that
was the case, did she receive payment from the Fund for PR services or were they provided free - with the result that
Esther was left out of pocket?
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Esther McVey fails to return calls on website costs, 15 September 2007 |
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Millions have contacted the Madeleine McCann appeal website. Who runs it? Three teenagers from Ullapool Sunday Herald
15 September 2007
Extract:
Calum, who has designed websites "since he was 10" is paid out of the global donations to the fund, which won't be contributing
to the McCanns' legal costs.
He refused to be drawn on how much his team of six are paid, and the Sunday Herald's repeated calls to the fund's spokeswoman,
Esther McVey, were not returned. He added: "I can't tell you that, it's not much honestly. We are just covering our costs.
You would need to speak to the fund about that."
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Esther McVey says accounts will be made public at the end of the financial year, 26
September 2007
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By Tim Walsh, PA
Sep 26 2007
Extract:
And this afternoon, the Fund’s board of directors - comprising colleagues, friends and relatives - met in the couple's
home county of Leicestershire to decide how to use the money.
The exact figures for what the donations are spent on will not be disclosed until the end of the financial year when
the accounts are made public, said director Esther McVey.
But the board did reveal that nearly a third of the money collected has already been used.
Costs incurred include the launch of the Find Madeleine campaign, advertising, the production of the yellow and green
wristbands and the employment of former campaign manager Justine McGuinness.
Legal fees had to be met for the setting up of Madeleine's Fund.
Private investigators, understood to include ex-military personnel, are being employed to search for the Rothley youngster
outside of Portugal.
And with Mr McCann, the family's main earner, on unpaid leave from his job as consultant cardiologist, part of the Fund
has been used to meet their living costs.
"I haven't got the exact figure but it is just under £300,000," said Ms McVey, after today's meeting.
On not producing a full breakdown of the costs, she added: "We are doing what every charity does. We are going by best
practice charity rules."
A new £80,000 advertising campaign in the area of Portugal, Spain and Morocco, announced earlier this month, was among
future costs discussed at the meeting, said co-director John McCann, Mr McCann’s brother.
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Billboard and newspaper advertisement campaign represented the single
biggest expenditure of the fund to date, 27 September 2007
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Spanish tourist's claim of Madeleine sighting in Morocco proves false Guardian
Paul Hamilos in Madrid
Tursday September 27 2007
Extract:
In a separate development yesterday, the board of the Find Madeleine campaign approved an extensive advertising campaign
appealing once again for information about the missing girl. Esther McVeigh, one of the directors, told the Guardian that
the £80,000 spent on the billboard and newspaper advertisement campaign represented the single biggest expenditure of the
fund to date.
She said that it was likely that the campaign, originally targeted at Spain and Portugal, would be extended to include
Morocco, even though the latest sighting appeared not to be Madeleine.
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Madeleine's Fund used to pay McCanns mortgage, 30 October 2007 |
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(Full details on the mortgage payments can be found here)
Comment:
Given that Esther McVey was the official spokesperson for Madeleine's Fund, it is rather curious that Clarence Mitchell
was the only one to face the media when details of the mortgage payments broke.
Where was Esther McVey and why did she have nothing to say about payments made from the fund of which she was the
official spokesperson? A fund she had previously assured us would be run under 'best practice charity laws'.
It is difficult to imagine any charity sanctioning the release of their funds to meet an individuals mortgage
payments.
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Fund still going strong, six months on, 05 November 2007 |
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Nov 05 2007
Extract:
THE fund set up to help find Madeleine McCann is still receiving wide-spread public support six months after her disappearance,
one of the Merseyside-based trustees said last night.
Esther McVey, a former television presenter and Conservative candidate for West Wirral, said controversy surrounding
donations being used to pay the McCanns' mortgage had not damaged the Fund's reputation – nor affected the trustee's
unwavering goal to track down the missing four-year-old.
Ms McVey, a college friend of Madeleine's Liverpool-born mother, Kate McCann, spoke last night following a service in
Liverpool to mark the six-month anniversary of when Madeleine disappeared from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da
Luz, Portugal.
Madeleine's grandparents, Brian and Susan Healy, of Mossley Hill, attended the service at Our Lady of the Annunciation,
Bishop Eton, on Saturday.
They said they had again been buoyed and moved by public support and sympathy at the ceremony and, like Ms McVey, said
the Madeleine Fund was going from "strength to strength".
Ms McVey added: "The fund is very focused on finding Madeleine.
"We have taken a lot of advice on how to maximise our resources and have drawn up very strategic and focused goals.
"We are paying for additional advertising campaigns in Spain, the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and of course in Portugal
and are seeing very positive steps forward.
"None of this would have been possible without the public support, which has never faltered.
"Kate and Gerry did have two mortgage payments made by the fund, but this stopped when they were made formal suspects.
"I really want to stress that they have never asked for one penny from the fund – despite taking un-paid leave
to try and find their daughter.
"Seriously, even when they were in Portugal, they never asked for one penny.
"The trustees are all meeting this week to discuss our next steps and have already seen that the systems we have set
up are now starting to work."
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Esther McVey resigns - announced 08 January 2008 |
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Kate and Gerry 'plan £2m film deal' as Madeleine Fund dwindles Daily Mail
By VANESSA ALLEN
Last updated at 09:06 09 January 2008
Extract (Third re-write of this article and the current online version):
Mr Mitchell said a book deal was also being considered "at some point down the line". He confirmed reports that one of
the directors of the fund, former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, had resigned from the board, but denied it was because of any
rift with the McCanns.
He said she wanted to concentrate on her role as a Conservative parliamentary candidate and was also about to start studying
for a demanding MBA qualification.
The first version of this article, which appeared on 08 January 2008, was very brief and
simply said:
(The film project will be discussed at a meeting of the fund's directors, including Gerry, tomorrow night at the McCanns'
home in Rothley, Leicestershire...)
The meeting tomorrow follows the resignation of key board members, including the fund's spokeswoman Esther McVey.
The second version, later that day of 08 January 2008, contained more information and a
quote from Clarence Mitchell. This was later removed and rewritten into the article that now appears online, as above. But
why were this section and Mr Mitchell's quote removed?:
Clarence Mitchell later confirmed the reports that Esther McVey had resigned from the board but denied it was because
of any rift with the McCanns. He said she wanted to concentrate on her role as a Conservative parliamentary candidate and
was also about to start studying for a demanding MBA qualification.
"She has a lot of commitments and realised she
could not devote the time she wanted to the fund," he said. "She felt the New Year would be a good time for the change, and
spoke to Kate about her decision. Kate and Gerry were disappointed but they both understood her reasons. She is an old friend
of Kate's and continues to support the fund."
Mr Mitchell said other directors might also want to "rotate" their position
on the board, as it had created a lot more work than was originally anticipated in May.
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