Letter from the Queen of England
The following letter was sent to Queen Elizabeth II on 24th September by Recorded Delivery.
Her Majesty's Reply is also reproduced below.
Her Majesty The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London
SW1A 1AA
24th September 2008
Your Majesty
My name is John Spencer and I used to work for Richard Branson at Virgin as you can see from the attached business card.
I am concerned that Ministers of Your Government have refused to answer questions asked of them by Members of Parliament with regards to certain issues relating to Your Government’s relationships with Mr Branson’s Virgin Group.
Virgin Healthcare (for whom I worked) were planning to pay GPs who work for the NHS a ‘reward’ every time that they sent their NHS patients to Virgins private clinicians. When I pointed out to them that this would create a dangerous conflict of interest and risk the safety of patients (Your subjects) I was called unprofessional and forced to offer my resignation.
I am now close to bankruptcy and continue to suffer intimidation and bribes from Virgin in an attempt to divert me from persisting with my concerns. The CEO of Virgin Healthcare in a letter to my MP has even called me a thief and a liar and though Virgin’s lawyers admit that this is not true they refuse to withdraw the accusations.
I went to the media with my concerns despite the fact that Mr Branson’s most senior lawyer (Josh Bayliss) told me that I would be sued if I approached the media with this story and how my MP (Tony Lloyd, Manchester Central, Labour) “cannot be trusted to do the right thing’’.
I also have a tape recording of Will Whitehorn (Richard Branson’s right hand man at Virgin) telling me that I might be sued if I went to speak to my MP.
As a faithful subject of Your Majesty it concerns me that an organisation such as Virgin has tried to intimidate me from raising my concerns with my democratically elected Member of Parliament, concerns that later turned out to be completely justified.
You can hear tape recordings of these conversations on my web site: (www.branson-pickle.com).
Only after taking my concerns to the media were these plans eventually abandoned on the basis that they would have broken the NHS contract that GPs hold and conflicted with Your subject’s best interests and clinical safety.
My own MP, Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central) has told me that he is ‘too busy’ to deal with this story despite the clear initial concern of his fellow MPs.
You will also see from the associated documents I enclose that several Members of Parliament have written to me about my concerns regarding my time at Virgin Healthcare including Dianne Abbot MP who feels that my evidence suggests; “some very dubious and unethical practices on the part of Virgin Healthcare”.
Claire Short (MP) forwarded my concerns about Virgin Healthcare to Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, at the DoH in early April 2008 but Mr Johnson said that as my concerns were so serious he might take longer than the DoH standard policy of replying within 20 days.
Alan Johnson did not in fact reply to the concerns raised by Clare Short but referred the matter on to Ben Bradshaw (Minister of State for Health Services) who also has failed to reply and delegated the matter to a man called Philip Walker at the DoH who said that the investigation would be led by Swindon PCT (This PCT is now being investigated for fraud in relation to their dealings with Virgin).
Clare Short has since refused to reply to any further concerns on this issue as she now realises how damaging this story is for Her Majesty’s Government and the Labour Party.
Another Member of Parliament, Mr Richard Taylor (Independent, Wyre) asked a question about my ‘alarming concerns’ in the House on June 17th and met with Ben Bradshaw to discuss them but said he expected ‘no useful response’ from Mr Bradshaw.
I’m afraid to say that I believe Your Government has colluded with Virgin (along with the GMC, Local PCT and a GP called Dr Peter Crouch) to establish a ‘fait accompli’ and break the back of the NHS allowing Commercial companies to develop financial relationships with GPs.
I have said as much on my web site (www.branson-pickle.com) and Virgin have refused to deny it or explain the many issues I have raised about their behaviour with regards to the NHS.
Your Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have also refused to comment on my accusations but have simply referred the question on to others who also refuse to answer.
The British Press all know about this story including Alan Rusbridger at the Guardian whose journalists initially said ‘’this will be a front page story unless Gordon Brown dies.’’ However, I have tape recordings of the Guardian’s journalist concerned almost in tears of frustration that the paper will not print the article that she wrote.
Melanie Fanstone at the BBC said this was a ‘difficult’ story for them, as have ITV, Channel 4 and all other major newspapers though none have denied the truth of it.
As a subject of Your Majesty I ask that You intervene to resolve this question, which so many of Your Ministers and MPs will not respond to.
This could be simply done by asking Mr Branson at Virgin to explain the behaviour of his colleagues and ask why he is so willing to tolerate the bullying and intimidation of his employee, contrary to the transparent and open brand values that he publicly espouses.
I understand the serious consequences for Your Government at this difficult time if I am justified in my concerns but, nonetheless, Your subjects do have the right to know the truth about how Your Government has behaved with regards to these issues and I have the right protection under the Your Laws from harassment and intimidation.
My own lawyer shares my concerns but he too is aware of the fact that I have received considerable intimidation and threats from Virgin and has now said that he cannot help me in these matters.
Your Government has enacted laws (Protected Disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosure Act) specifically to protect whistleblowers such as myself from intimidation after the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster in which many of Your subjects lost their lives and yet I have plenty of evidence of direct intimidation from Virgin lawyers and Virgin Board members and my concerns have been completely ignored by Ministers and MPs despite the fact that my concerns I raised as a whistleblower turned out to be justified.
In that the Virgin Group are responsible for carrying Your subjects on planes and trains the intimidation of employees raising genuine concerns about matters of Health and Safety is of particular concern and if this is a widespread practice in the Virgin Group then the lives of Your subjects continue to be put at risk.
I am sorry to have to approach You with these concerns but in that the Virgin Group, Your Majesty’s Government and even the police have been so reluctant to respond I have been left with no choice but to rely on Your intervention based on the clear concern you have demonstrated for the well being of your Subjects throughout your Reign.
Yours
John Spencer
This letter was received by The Queen on the 30th September 2008 and was responded to on behalf of Her Majesty by Sonia Bonici, Senior Correspondence Officer, in a letter dated the 30th October.
Interestingly, before the Queen responded to my letter, I was telephoned by an individual who had developed intimate relations with the British Security Services as a senior investigative reporter with The Sunday Times for over ten years, specialising in serious crime and investigations into international terrorism.
This gentleman explained to me that he is now 'retired' from journalism and works for a 'recruitment company'.
I have a tape recording of this phone call though I will not play it outside of a court of law.
The letter from the Queen that arrived a week later says: ''Her Majesty has taken careful notes of your comments'' and has asked for my letter to her to be forwarded to the Prime Minister so that he may ''consider the points you raise''.
The letter also makes clear that the Queen herself is powerless to force the Prime Minister to answer these questions despite the fact that it is clearly in the interests of Her subjects that the Government provides an answer promptly.
Until I wrote to the Queen, my own MP, Tony Lloyd, had refused to get involved in these issues saying he was ''too busy'' despite me having presented him with all the evidence including covertly taped phone calls with some very important people.
Since I sent my letter to the Queen Mr Lloyd has unexpectedly written to me and said that he will now get the Department of Health to reply to my questions - but that was some weeks ago now and he still has not replied.
The phone numbers for Tony Lloyd are: 0207 219 6626 or 0161 232 0872 or you can wrote to him at: Tony Lloyd MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.
As Mr Tony Lloyd and the Prime Minister are unwilling to provide a response to my questions, I am left with no option but to reluctantly publish Her Majesty's letter in the hope that their consciences may be pricked into remembering the oath of loyalty they swore to the Queen when they became MPs:
"I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God,"
If readers are interested in hearing my questions answered you could ask your local MP to encourage the Prime Minister to respond to these important questions or write to the Prime Minister directly at The House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA.
You could also ask any journalist why they are not allowed to publish anything on these issues...
Manchester, UK