A RADICAL fathers' rights group disbanded yesterday following allegations of a plot by renegade members to kidnap Tony Blair's five-year-old son Leo.
After three years of staging some of the most high-profile publicity stunts of recent times, including breaking into the grounds of Buckingham Palace and pelting the Prime Minister with purple powder, Fathers 4 Justice announced that it was finally bringing its campaign to a close.
The sudden demise of the pressure group, whose aim has been to publicise concerns that mothers had the upper hand in child-custody cases, came the day after reports emerged of the plot to snatch Leo Blair.
Police foiled the plan at an early stage.
Last night, the group's leader, Matt O'Connor, said it could no longer continue in light of the negative publicity generated by the allegations.
He said: "I regret to say that, three years after starting the organisation, we're going to cease and bring it to a close.
"I'm proud of the work we've done, but if we're going down this road with extremist elements, then it's come to an end.
"This is not what I wanted. I don't want to be associated with an organisation getting headlines like this."
Mr O'Connor said the plot had been hatched by rogue members who were attempting to take over the group. He said he was proud of the work the group had carried out, but said he wanted a "good night's sleep" and was ready to call it a day.
He added that the coverage had "undermined" the work undertaken by its members. However, he added: "The desperation of fathers only reflects the intransigence of the government to address the crisis in family law."
Yesterday, No10's role in revealing the plot was questioned after Sky News suggested that Downing Street might have leaked the foiled kidnap to the press to divert attention from the growing crisis over sex offenders in schools.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman denied the claims.
Suspicions were raised as the plot had never got past the discussion stage and no arrests were made.
However, the group claimed that officers from Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Branch had visited former members.
Privately, police also expressed doubts that the Fathers 4 Justice campaigners would have been able to foil the tight security around the Prime Minister and his family.
Officers are believed to be unhappy that the news - which first appeared in the Sun newspaper - has been made public.
Source
After three years of staging some of the most high-profile publicity stunts of recent times, including breaking into the grounds of Buckingham Palace and pelting the Prime Minister with purple powder, Fathers 4 Justice announced that it was finally bringing its campaign to a close.
The sudden demise of the pressure group, whose aim has been to publicise concerns that mothers had the upper hand in child-custody cases, came the day after reports emerged of the plot to snatch Leo Blair.
Police foiled the plan at an early stage.
Last night, the group's leader, Matt O'Connor, said it could no longer continue in light of the negative publicity generated by the allegations.
He said: "I regret to say that, three years after starting the organisation, we're going to cease and bring it to a close.
"I'm proud of the work we've done, but if we're going down this road with extremist elements, then it's come to an end.
"This is not what I wanted. I don't want to be associated with an organisation getting headlines like this."
Mr O'Connor said the plot had been hatched by rogue members who were attempting to take over the group. He said he was proud of the work the group had carried out, but said he wanted a "good night's sleep" and was ready to call it a day.
He added that the coverage had "undermined" the work undertaken by its members. However, he added: "The desperation of fathers only reflects the intransigence of the government to address the crisis in family law."
Yesterday, No10's role in revealing the plot was questioned after Sky News suggested that Downing Street might have leaked the foiled kidnap to the press to divert attention from the growing crisis over sex offenders in schools.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman denied the claims.
Suspicions were raised as the plot had never got past the discussion stage and no arrests were made.
However, the group claimed that officers from Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Branch had visited former members.
Privately, police also expressed doubts that the Fathers 4 Justice campaigners would have been able to foil the tight security around the Prime Minister and his family.
Officers are believed to be unhappy that the news - which first appeared in the Sun newspaper - has been made public.
Source
