POL00174384
POL00174384
From: Mark R Davies!
Sent: Thur 06/08/2015 6:24:36 AM (UTC)
To: Rodric Williamsf ~
Ce:
Louise
Subject: Re: Panorama - draft "Legal Letter’
Attachment: image001.png
Hi
I am happy with the letter subject to views of colleagues. I would prefer it to say "post office" rather than POL
as latter sounds a bit 1984 when repeated!
I'd like to consider timing and suggest that today:
- we make a decision on any further approaches to Panorama. I am cooling on this as I am not sure it will change
anything and there are risks ("PO attempts last ditch dirty tricks to undermine dedicated postmaster"). We know
that everything we say to Panorama goes direct to JFSA.
- assuming then we decide not to go back to Karen with anything other than a few lines, I would like to write to
James Harding again and I know there is a draft letter for me to look at : please could someone resend?
- my instinct is to send the James Harding letter tomorrow and the CMS letter on Monday (first thing)
- if others agree with this approach I would suggest I drop Panorama a line shortly before the Harding letter goes
as a courtesy but also to underline our position. I will circulate a draft.
This is all for debate and of course we may want to say something to Karen about the nature of POIRs as Mel
and I have discussed.
So the timeline would be:
Friday: me to Panorama and James Harding
Monday: CMS (or Jane?) to BBC legal
We would then focus on internal comms and our response to coverage generated by Panorama.
Louise is copied to be ready to prep letters for James Harding and others. Louise: please can you dig out email
addresses for any BBC exec with whom we have engaged on this - there are a few! - so I can assess best
approach?
Cheers
Mark
Mark Davies
Communications and Corporate Affairs Director
POL00174384
POL00174384
Post Office Ltd
On 6 Aug 2015, at 02:10, Rodric Williams: GRO wrote:
All,
Please find attached for your comment CM$’s draft legal letter.
CMS would like to send the letter when final editing is taking place to have the greatest influence on the
final programme cut. This is likely to be early next week, so we should be aiming to have the letter
finalised by midday Monday.
This would mean we can keep a dialogue open with Panorama while we finalise the letter (e.g. to
explore whether we should meet), to the extent Mark and Mel think beneficial. Any dialogue is of
course likely to end once the letter is sent.
Susan, Tom — does this timing sound right?
The draft could also be tweaked to refer to the "Trouble in the Post Office" blurb which has been sent to
programme schedulers. Is there any reason why we should not do this?
Kind regards, Rod
POST
OFFICE
<image001.png>
<Legal Letter to BBC Panorama (05.08.15).docx>
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