Be a Libertarian - Buy a T shirt from Paul "Semen" Staines AKA Guido Fawkes

There will be few readers who attended the Liberty 87 Conference, Cambridge University in 1987 but some may have an interest in a snap that Lord Patel manage to snatch which shows Paul Staines then of Popular Propaganda displaying a pro-UNITA T-shirt with a visiting representative of the African anti-Communist fighters of the National Union for the Total Liberation of Angola UNITA (En Portugese - União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola,). Lord Patel's memories are somewhat hazy but he doesdistinctly remember bumping into the great right wing thinker , the post menopausal Teresa Gorman then an MP for Billericay. The conference (dis) organisers, the Libertarian Alliance is a non-partisan group fighting statism in all its forms and working for the creation of a truly free society... or so they claimed in their Conference literature and publicity.

The Libertarian Alliance who organised this bean fest can now be found at Suite 35 2 Lansdowne Row Mayfair London W1J 6HL - an address which has acertain resonance in certain circles.

They publish an interesting web based magazine The Libertarian which promoted an article by our Paul
ACID HOUSE PARTIES AGAINST THE LIFESTYLE POLICE AND THE SAFETY NAZIS by Paul Staines (also available here as Appendix 3 to "E is for Ecstasy by Nicholas Saunders")

Which says inter alia a lot of nonsense about organising rave parties ..."Some people, particularly those of a Conservative inclination, have an irrational dislike of drugs," ... a sentiment which he might find difficult to support these days given Mr Cameron's much publicised youthful foray into drugs.

Of great interest is the puffery that is associated with this portentous nonsense.

"Paul Staines was the creator of Popular Propaganda, a libertarian marketing enterprise which produced T-shirts and posters. "In the Grip of the Sandinistas," his critical study of a decade of Marxist rule in Nicaragua, was published in 1989.

He was foreign policy analyst with the Committee for a Free Britain before becoming director of the Freedom to Party Campaign. He is now UK secretary-general of the International Society for Human Rights and editor of Human Rights Briefing."

The views expressed in this publication are those of its author, and not necessarily those of the Libertarian Alliance, its Committee.

The names and positions of the Officers make fascinating reading .....
Advisory Council
Director: Dr Chris R. Tame ** Editorial Director: Brian Micklethwait Webmaster: Dr Sean Gabb

Those who enjoyed the BBC Profile of Paul last weekend, will of course remember the fawning and uncritical views that the legendary partygoer Brian Micklethwait expressed about our Paul.

Those who might still have an interest in the activities of Paul "Semen" Staines might like to look up these Guradian Backbench Blog items here and here

Those who wish to follow the spoor of this curious crazy beast might profit from the very well annotated biography from Media Sourcewatch here

Those still fascinated to know more about the hyperactive polymath and renaissance man, can discover more details of Mondial Global Investment funds , the MGI Emerging Growth and since June 1999 MGI Nihon Seicho Kabushiki ("high growth equity") and a third fund, MGI Aggressive Biotech - to be launched in 2001...but MGI, based in Hong Kong didn't make it through until then. There are some pretty FAQ's about them here - one strikes the eye - Minimum Investment (?) US$1 MN - and also Q Where can I see the price? A A monthly NAV will be available on Bloomberg and direct from us. These have not been found, but any Reports would be welcome.

** Christopher Ronald Tame, bibliographer and political activist: born Enfield, Middlesex 20 December 1949; Director, Libertarian Alliance 1979-2006, President 2006; Manager, Alternative Bookshop 1979-85; Director, Forest 1988-95; married 1977 Judy Englander (marriage dissolved 1992), 1994 Maria O'Sullivan (marriage dissolved 1998); died London 20 March 2006.
Obituary Independent written by Sean Gabb.

Lord Patel apologises if some find this a litle unsavoury - it is, a little like discovering pornography tucked away in your younger sister's lingerie drawer.