OK, I must be getting too cynical and perhaps too critical of these McCanns.
Peter Harvey asks pertinently who's looking after the money paid into the Find Madeleine fund. Although the website gives a company registration number unfortunately a search against that number comes up with nothing.
What is certain is that the fund is already wasting money. The Times reports here that an application for charitable status was refused. Any law student examining the objects of the fund would immediately spot that they lacked the crucial element. They were not for the benefit of the public.
These are the listed objects:
3. The objects of the Foundation are:
3.1.1 To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal on Thursday 3rd May 2007;
3.1.2 To procure that Madeleine’s abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice; and
3.1.3 To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine’s family.
3.2 If the above objects are fulfilled then the objects of the Foundation shall be to pursue such purposes in similar cases arising in the United Kingdom, Portugal or elsewhere.
Although 3.2 is clearly for the public benefit, it is likely nothing would be left for this purpose.
The Fund appears to be a Company Limited by Guarantee and as such, like your local bowls club, there's no need for it to publish annual accounts.
So folks, it's no charity you're chucking your hard-earned at.
And it's not as if these negligent parents are short of cash. In the Diana-esque madness that is sweeping the land the media seems to have forgotten that the parents are both doctors- Mr McCann is a surgeon. Presumably their employers are still paying their, not inconsiderable, salaries?
And to put the tin hat on it, today I read the McCanns "will travel wherever it is necessary in the search to find their four year old."
I bet they will. And it's not difficult to guess who will be paying?
There's a lot of money pouring into this trough.
