Kerry Packer's family pours scorn on Richard Desmond claims

A close relative of the late  Kerry Packer says claims by Britain's Daily Express newspaper owner Richard Desmond in his autobiography The Real Deal that the Aussie media mogul said to him "I will slit your throat from ear to ear" are complete hogwash.

The relative who wished to remain anonymous said "Kerry was tough in business, could be brusque but was also very fair and it was not his style to issue threats like that".
People who have worked for Packer or who have done business deals with him often confirm that although the media baron could drive a tough deal, he was also very honest in his dealings.
"Kerry always wanted the most advantageous deal" says the relative "but he was never one to threaten or do the dirty on anyone. It was his policy to pay good money or even more than required and he expected loyalty in return and he always received it. There was no need for him to ever talk like that as his reputation was - you do the wrong thing to me and I will never deal with you again".

And Britain's famous Private Eye magazine seems to agree and in a review of Desmond's book point out that he has put words into several mouths of people who are all conveniently dead, echoing the late Hollywood actress Shelley Winters who was once asked for advice by an actress friend on how she could beef up her book as she had had so few affairs : "include anyone who is gay or dead" said Winters, "neither will complain".

Whispers has experience with Richard Desmond when he was Britain's most successful, and much disliked porn merchant. Taking over management of a gay bookshop in Notting Hill while the owner was being detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure (for tax evasion) we were instructed that the local police would raid the shop once a month. Although the books and magazines on sale were perfectly legal the police did arrive and confiscate half the stock to "examine" it to see if it was legal. The magazine were so cheap to produce, costing around 30p for a magazine that might sell for £15-20, it wasn't worth the hassle getting back the material so several warehouses would need to be visited to obtain new stock.
 One of those warehouses was Desmond's in the East End and he was one of the most abusive, arrogant and mean people we have ever encountered. None of his heterosexual porn titles sold (they were just there for 'balance') and according to Private Eye that has  been his history along with many unsavoury dealings with dubious 'partners' in the UK and the Mafia type people in New York.

Former porn barons in the UK have now risen to such heights they support the ruling Conservative Party as this article demonstrates but Desmond's desperate desire to receive a Knighthood in Britain seems doomed to failure considering his background.

Lord McAlpine Hits Back

With the British media in a feeding frenzy over the claims about the late BBC TV personality Jimmy Savile, it was only a matter of time before matters came to the boil and an innocent was hurt.

Lord McAlpine's Cable Beach Resort

The 'jumping the shark' moment came early Thursday morning when a lightweight, snowy haired breakfast TV host attempted to ambush British PM David Cameron by presenting a list of names he had gathered on the Internet- 'within three minutes". Cameron put the host firmly in his place whilst shushing the presenter's blinking eyed co-host as she tried to butt in.

Margaret Thatcher with Lord McAlpine (right)

Within 24 hours Lord Alistair McAlpine , the former Conservative Party treasurer had issued a furious denial and one of his accusers had back-pedalled like Speedy Gonzales in reverse, admitting he had made a terrible mistake. There were red faces all round and McAlpine has said he will sue.

Lord McAlpine is a familiar figure around Sydney and was here earlier this year on his way to visit his beloved  Cable Beach Resort which he established in 1979 in the pearling town of Broome in the Northern Territory.
In the late 1990s McAlpine hosted an unforgettable party at Sydney's Hotel Intercontinental which he owned at the time, to promote Broome.
He arrived amongst the city traffic on a towering camel, no mean feat for the diminutive Baron. Guests were invited to a lavish dinner and left later that evening each bearing a deck chair as a memento.

Pitty Pat's intern James Murdoch

Lorenzo & Pitty Pat

At one stage Lord McAlpine also dated Primrose 'Pitty Pat' Dunlop, the Melbourne socialite and heiress who at the time was writing a social column for Rupert Murdoch's Sunday Telegraph and carting a 15 year old intern around with her by the name of James Murdoch. James had a low boredom threshold and would fall asleep at parties
Pitty Pat ended up marrying the Polish Count Krasicki after a disastrous engagement to Qantas flight attendant Prince Lorenzo Monetsini who famously ran off with his bridegroom leaving Pitty Pat at the altar at the glorious Cipriani Hotel in Venice along with 100 socialite guests who had flown in from Melbourne , Sydney London and New York, some still arriving as the groom fled to Harry's Bar, clambering out of water taxis to attend the 'wedding of the year'.  
Lord McAlpine now lives in Italy with his wife and is presumably in contact with the finest British libel lawyers. Such is the rich tapestry of life.
You can listen to an  interview Lord McAlpine gave to ABC  Kimberley in March this year here.



**Earth to News Ltd : Lord McAlpine was not a Member of Parliament  or a politician.