Adapted extract from Hunt & Keith-Hill's report

The Vendettas of Mohamed 'Al' Fayed

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According to Francesca Pollard, in early February 1990, acting on his master's instruction, Fayed's PR spokesman Michael Cole organised the production of a pamphlet entitled 'Twenty things you ought to know about Michael Howard MP'.  It contained all sorts of allegations that Howard had been involved in unsavoury deal makings with alleged fraudster Harry Landy, and that Howard had recommended the appointment of the Inspectors because he was under Rowland's sway.
    The pamphlet was printed in hundreds.  Richard New also produced a placard on Fayed's instruction bearing the legend:

Fayed intended that Pollard parade with this, whilst she distributed the pamphlets in Howard's constituency.
    Shortly afterwards, during the weekends of 10/11 February 1990 and 23/24 February 1990, Pollard distributed the leaflets in Ashford and Folkestone, Kent, which both lie in Michael Howard's constituency.  Her activities were picked up by the local press and reported, harming Michael Howard's reputation.  Later still, when Fayed's ire against Howard increased further, Fayed demanded that Pollard parade Howard's constituency bearing a placard alleging that he had appointed the Inspectors after being bribed £5 million by Tiny Rowland.

The next on Fayed's list was an adviser to, and the members of, the all-party Select Committee on Trade and Industry.
    The DTI Inspectors' report into House of Fraser showed that Mohamed Fayed and his brother had lied throughout their Inquiry.  However, no charges could be brought because lying to government Inspectors did not constitute a criminal offence.  The Select Committee on Trade and Industry therefore examined all aspects of government inspections and the legislation that covered their procedures. 
    The committee's members were greatly critical of the Fayeds' acquisition of House of Fraser, and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Nicholas Ridley most certainly could have applied to have them disqualified as company directors.  So, in an attempt to stymie criticism which could have forced Ridley's hand, Fayed embarked on all sorts of scurrilous smear tactics against those whom he learned had been most scathing.
    Fayed used Francesca Pollard ruthlessly, both as a 'writer' of defamatory letters, and as a harasser in person in the members' constituencies and at their home addresses. 
    Typical among those who were on the receiving end was one of the Committee's special advisers, Professor Barry Rider.  As usual, Pollard's activities were co-ordinated by Richard New.  During this campaign New adopted a tactic that was so effective, Fayed would use it time and time again thereafter...

Professor Barry Rider is an expert in company law.  Formerly as the Head of the Commercial Crime unit at the Commonwealth Secretariat, his responsibilities involved exposing company fraud e.g. tax evasion, money laundering and suchlike, and his work often resulted in some very powerful people being consigned to prison. 
    In September 1989 one of the many villains Rider had helped incarcerate started putting it about that Rider had fraudulently fiddled his expenses.  As a result, the Secretariat decided to hold an internal inquiry.  Though the inquiry cleared Rider, he decided to leave and was appointed subsequently as an adviser to the 1989 Trade and Industry Select Committee.
    Richard New discovered that Rider had been subject of these allegations, and that the Secretariat had investigated them.  So New then spun out a story that Rider had been sacked, and leaked it to journalist Paul Halloran, who wrote the 'Grovel' column for the satirical gossip sheet Private Eye.  The story appeared in the 11 May 1990 issue:

        '...Sadly Dr Ryder's[sic] departure from the secretariat was less than amicable.  He was
        effectively sacked on 18 September last year for -among other things -alleged fraud,
        fiddling expenses, threatening staff and sending non-secretariat personnel to Interpol meetings
        while passing them off as bona-fide Commonwealth Secretariat employees.'

This was the first documented example of Fayed leaking allegations against his perceived detractors to the press.  In this case, Fayed didn't actually invent the allegations against Barry Rider himself -Fayed had simply disseminated allegations that someone else had made against one of his enemies.  But Rider's standing was harmed greatly and Fayed was quick to appreciate the tactic's effectiveness.
    Barry Rider gave an insight into his experiences in a letter to Downey of 11 February 1997.  It is worth reflecting on his words (Downey did not call Rider to testify):

        '...I have reason to believe that the Fayeds remain vindictive to me.  Frankly, I cannot understand
        why this should be the case.  I can only assume that they and perhaps their advisers, consider that
        my role in advising the Committee was more significant than it was.  Indeed, I find the whole
        saga bemusing to say the least.  I remain, however, saddened that what was a serious attempt
        to undermine the proper workings of a Select Committee and impugn the personal and
        professional integrity of those who did absolutely nothing wrong and sought only to perform
        their public duty, has been allowed to pass without criticism.'

Two weeks after Private Eye printed Richard New's story about Rider, on 25 May 1990 Francesca Pollard attended a press conference held by the Trade & Industry Select Committee at the House of Commons.  This had been arranged to announce the release of the Committee's report on DTI inspections.  Pollard attended with the original intention of heckling from the back, calling for an investigation into Lonrho, but in the event she decided against this as she felt it would have damaged her credibility.
    After the conference broke up, Pollard left the building.  As she stood outside by the Lords' entrance, she noticed the committee's chairman Kenneth Warren and his secretary leaving the building, walking briskly to avoid reporters.

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