HARVEY PROCTOR: The Life & Times of Harvey Proctor

Harvey Proctor – Is he the world’s unluckiest man?

Keith Harvey Proctor seems to have spent most of his life walking under ladders, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, having black cats regularly walk across his path and spotting too many lone magpies. He is UNLUCKY to say the least. He claims that the world is out to get him, that he is targeted by the Metropolitan Police because some of them are homophobic and his convictions don’t count because they wouldn’t be convictions now. He is an honest man, guv.  On the other hand, he has been accused of being a compulsive liar – a serial fantasist – a Walter Mitty type.

Let’s look at the life and times of Harv through the press and the lens and you can make up your own mind.  Besides, it’s helpful to have all this in one place.  (There is much more to add which I will do in due course).

1967: Radio 270

1968: Chairman of York University’s Conservative Association. (The Times)

1970: Assistant to the Monday Club’s director, Freddie Stockwell. (The Times)

March 1971: Speaking at a meeting of the Scarborough Womens Conservative Association, he tells them that “…a coloured population of four million by 1985 was totally unacceptable to the people of this country“. (The Times)

November 1971: Resigns as assistant to the director of the Monday Club, (George Pole) after alleging that his personal mail had been opened. (The Times)

February 1972: Appointed as chairman of the South West London Monday Club. (The Times)

April 1973: PPC for Hackney South and Shoreditch. (The Times)

December 1979: PPC for Basildon. (The Times)

August 1981: Alongside John Pinniger, releases a booklet entitled ‘Immigration, Repatriation and the Commission for Racial Equality in which they call for the repatriation of 50,000 immigrants a year and a repeal of all the race relations legislation. (The Times)

19th September 1981: Harvey Proctor pictured speaking to reporters after Mr John Woods (aka Terry Woods) smashed up his father’s home:

Small mention within the Spectator Archive HERE on Terry’s window-breaking escapade.

3rd November 1981: The Day – Cover-up Charge Made in British Spy Scandal:

October 1982: Launches a new Monday Club statement that they would be lobbying government to offer more money to immigrants from the Commonwealth and Pakistan under the proposed repatriation scheme.

24th March 1983: The Age – Row Erupts Over ‘Black’ Crime:

15th April 1983: The Glasgow Herald – Tory Rounds on Ex-Rebels:

June 1983: PPC for Billericay. (The Times)

11th October 1983: A leaked report in to extremism in the Monday Club, and his involvement, is described by Proctor as ‘a pretty kangaroo document’.

14th October 1983: Sarasota Herald Tribune – Tories Reject Racial Ban Resolution:

14th October 1983: The Glasgow Herald – Victory for Moderation:

20th January 1984: The Glasgow Herald – ‘Racism’ Row Over Immigrant Aid Scheme:

1st February 1984: The Glasgow Herald – Cabinet Link Claimed By Right-Wing Group:

2nd February 1984: The Montreal Gazette – British Neo-Fascists Claim ‘Friendly’ Ties With PM, Cabinet:

9th February 1984: The Glasgow Herald – Libel Writ:

14th February 1984: BBC investigate claims made by 5 MPs against the Panorama programme:

13th March 1984: John Pinniger, adviser to Proctor, leaves the Monday Club stating it harboured extremists.  He is accused of organising a press smear campaign in order to take over the Monday Club.

20th July 1984: Young Conservatives of Scarborough Castle call for Proctor to be expelled from the party following his early day motion on ‘golliwogs’.

31st July 1984: Wins undisclosed damages against the Sunday People following allegations Proctor received support from the National Front during 1983 election campaign. (The Times)

January 1985: One of seven MPs to vote against the government’s Bill that allows parents to exempt their children from caning at school. (The Times)

5th April 1985: The Glasgow Herald – Calls to Arrest Hume For IRA Talks:

12th July 1985: George Gardiner issues an apology to Proctor following a letter he sent to Mrs Thatcher claiming that Proctor’s views on repatriation had harmed the Monday Club. (The Times)

October 1985: Proctor is banned from speaking at the East Ham South Conservative Club due to disturbance fears.

18th October 1985: A lunchtime meeting at Bradford University at which Proctor was due to speak on immigration was postponed at the last minute due to concerns of protests.  Racial tension was high due to the Broadwater Farm riots. (The Times)

28th October 1985: Observer Reporter – Public Expenditure Is No Remedy For Crime:

15th November 1985: During ccuses Mrs Thatcher of ‘betrayal’ over a pending agreement between the UK and Irish governments.  Enoch Powell accuses her of ‘treachery’. (The Times)

January 1986: Observer – MP Abandons Writs over ‘Panorama’: (Harvey was using Jonathan Peter Denby as his solicitor).

8th June 1986: Jonathan Peter Denby, former aide to Enoch Powell and friend of Proctor, leaves a message on Proctor’s answer phone to say he would not be giving himself up following acting as a getaway driver for two Irish paramilitaries.  He disappears for months but regularly keeps in contact with both Proctor and Enoch Powell.

Clip: News

15th June 1986: The People – Spanked Boys in MP’s Flat:

16th June 1986: Daily Mirror – It’s Monstrous, Says Cane-Row MP Harvey:

17th June 1986: Daily Express – The Perils of Proctor:

29th August 1986: The Glasgow Herald – Wanted Solicitor May Be In Scotland:

28th September 1986: The People – Spanking MP: The Shocking Truth:

Daily Mirror:

5th October 1986: The People – Proctor Cover-up By Tories:

12th October 1986: The People – Spanking MP to Face the Music:

19th October 1986: News of the World: Trial by Tape For Spanking Row Tory:

25th October 1986: The People – Maxwell Threatened Over Spanking MP:

31st October 1986: The Montreal Gazette – Yard Drops Archer Probe – But Yet Another Tory Scandal Emerges:

31st October 1986: Proctor states he had telephoned the Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers QC, regarding reports proceedings would be taken against him in regards to indecency claims.

2nd November 1986: The People – New Sex Shock Fear for Thatcher:

20th February 1987: The Star – MP and Man In Underpants:

20th February 1987: Daily Mirror – ‘Ooh Harvey’:

23rd February 1987: John Terry Woods

24th February 1987: John Terry Woods

1st March 1987: News of the World – Smack Happy:

9th March 1987: Daily Mirror – Proctor’s Pal Arrested!:

14th March 1987: Daily Express – Cops To Quiz Tory MP Over Spanking:

14th March 1987: Daily Express – Scandal MP’s Car Hits Students:

15th March 1987: News of the World – Arrest Drama After We Shop ‘Spanker MP’:

15th March 1987: The People –

 

21st March 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Hackles Raised on Tory Morals:

29th March 1987: The People – Spanking MP Saves His Seat:

30th March 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Cheers For Spanking Row MP:

8th April 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Warrant Out for Proctor:

8th April 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Proctor Charged:

19th April 1987: News of the World: Cops Raid Harvey Pal’s Gym:

17th May 1987: The Bulletin – Parliament Member Quits:

17th May 1987: News of the World – Spanking Tory Resigns At Last:

17th May 1987: The People – Proctor Quits:

18th May 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Norman Tebbit:

21st May 1987: Daily Express – Proctor Fined £1,450 in Spanking Row:

21st May 1987: Daily Mirror – Tea at Commons For Proctor Schoolboy:

21st May 1987: The Sun – How Proctor Caned ‘Naughty Boys’:

21st May 1987: The Glasgow Herald – Teresa Gorman:

22nd May 1987: Dai Llewellyn of Bognor Cane Company was clubbing together with Janus Magazines to pay Proctor’s fine.

24th May 1987: The People – Disgrace of the MP Who Lied and Lied:

12th July 1987: The People – Proctor’s Mates Have a Whip-Round!:

18th September 1987: Private Eye  – Tunisia:

16th March 1988: The Glasgow Herald – Ex-aide to Enoch Powell Drove for Gunmen, Jury Told:

23rd March 1988: The Glasgow Herald – Six Months for Lawyer Who Aided Gunman:

4th June 1988: After Dark – Harvey Proctor

Full version: Here

Edited version of Harvey’s best bits: Here

In 1988, Harvey opened a shop in Brewer’s Lane, Richmond, Surrey which sold shirts and ties.  The property, I understand, belonged to Patrick Puddles.  Using a government start-up loan, Harvey also had a number of donors, including:

Lord Jeffrey Archer (former MP),
Mark Lennox-Boyd MP,
Sir Nicholas Bonsor MP,
Tim Yeo MP,
Michael Brown MP,
David Ashby MP,
Tristan Garel-Jones MP (Lord Garel-Jones),
Neil Hamilton MP,
David Heathcote-Amory MP,
David Evans MP,
Richard Shepherd MP,
Julian Amery MP,
Michael Heseltine MP (Lord Heseltine),
Sir Charles Morrisson MP (brother of notorious paedophile & PPS to Thatcher, Sir Peter Morrison MP),
Sir Neil Thorne MP,
William Benyon MP,
and Christine Hamilton (Neil Hamilton MP’s wife).

1988: Richmond & Twickenham Times:

5th November 1988: The Guardian – The Rent Boy David:

24th July 1992: Richmond & Twickenham Times – Harvey Proctor in Gay Attack:

31st July 1992: Richmond & Twickenham Times – Men Charged After Proctor Shop Assault:

21st August 1992: Richmond & Twickenham Times – Proctor Attack: Pair Charged:

5th March 1993: Richmond & Twickenham Times – Proctor Victim of ‘Gay Bashing’ Court Hears:

14th May 1993: Richmond & Twickenham Times – Two Jailed for Proctor Attack:

30th July 2000: Sunday Express – Tories Lose Their Shirts on Harvey:

2014 – Photos emerge on social media which appear to show Harvey Proctor leading groups of children on a tour of Belvoir Castle:

6th March 2015 – Daily Mail goes back to the hotel where Harvey Proctor was caught with an underage boy in his room in Agadir, Morocco:

26th August 2015: Daily Mail – I’m Victim of a Witch Hunt, says Abuse Probe ex-Tory MP:

Extra tit-bits (unknown dates)

Google Books: The Conservative Party and the Extreme Right 1945-1975:

http://www.wow.com/wiki/Harvey_Proctor:

And finally….

Before anyone concludes that my motives for collating this information is because I am homophobic or some sort of prude, I can assure you I am not. The reason I am highlighting this particular issue is that from listening to survivors of abuse and/or homelessness, I believe that many of these so-called “rent boys” (I hate using that term) were simply desperate youngsters who were exploited because of circumstance.  Many were runaways from home or the care system, some thrown out of the care system at 16 with no means to support themselves, others still within the care system and simply exploited by those paid to ‘care’ for them, and then there were those who lived on very poor estates and were groomed.  For many, the minute they reached a mainline London station they were pounced upon by unscrupulous men who saw a commodity in their flesh – Operation Circus and the ‘meat rack’ illustrates this as does the testimony of some involved in Proctor’s case.  Some of these men had suffered the same fate highlighting a vicious circle of exploitation.  It’s no different to what we have recently read about in Rotherham. I believe Proctor could have enjoyed his sexual proclivities meeting consenting like-minded men but he chose to finance those who exploited youngsters instead.  It’s also important to remember that from the testimonies of some involved, many of the youngsters involved weren’t expecting his level of sadistic “pleasure” and unless it’s consenting, it’s not OK.  He abused his position, he financed the machine and then he finished with the ultimate humiliation of photographing them.

I also find his views on race abhorrent despite recent firm protestation on BBC’s Newsnight this week that he has always been “just right” and not far right.