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Clifford acts for bully call boss Clifford acts for bully call boss
(20 minutes later)
Publicist Max Clifford is to represent the anti-bullying charity boss who said Downing Street staff contacted her organisation's helpline. Publicist Max Clifford is to represent the anti-bullying charity boss who said Downing Street staff contacted her organisation.
Mr Clifford told the BBC that Christine Pratt, chief executive of the National Bullying Helpline, had told him she had e-mail evidence to back up her claims.Mr Clifford told the BBC that Christine Pratt, chief executive of the National Bullying Helpline, had told him she had e-mail evidence to back up her claims.
The charity's four patrons have resigned, saying Mrs Pratt breached callers' confidence. The charity's four patrons have resigned, saying her comments amounted to a breach of confidence.
Mr Clifford said he was not being paid for advising her.Mr Clifford said he was not being paid for advising her.
He added that he was a "very big fan" of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.He added that he was a "very big fan" of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
'Heads down''Heads down'
Mrs Pratt has made it clear none of the callers accused Mr Brown of bullying and said he may not even have known about the claims.Mrs Pratt has made it clear none of the callers accused Mr Brown of bullying and said he may not even have known about the claims.
Mr Clifford said: "She wants to stand up and be counted and I've said 'The only way you're going to change the public and the media's perception is to come up with evidence of what you've been saying. Can you do that?' Mr Clifford said: "She wants to stand up and be counted and I've said: 'The only way you're going to change the public and the media's perception is to come up with evidence of what you've been saying. Can you do that?'
"She and her husband have said 'Yes, we believe that we can'. So I said, well, in that case, what you must do is keep your heads down until you've got that evidence which you feel establishes what you've been saying." "She and her husband have said: 'Yes, we believe that we can'. So I said: 'Well, in that case, what you must do is keep your heads down until you've got that evidence which you feel establishes what you've been saying."
Mr Clifford said Mrs Pratt and her husband were "going to get busy", going through hundreds of e-mails to look for the evidence to back up her claims.Mr Clifford said Mrs Pratt and her husband were "going to get busy", going through hundreds of e-mails to look for the evidence to back up her claims.
Mrs Pratt spoke out on Sunday after Business Secretary Lord Mandelson robustly defended separate allegations of bullying by the prime minister, which appeared in the Observer newspaper. Mrs Pratt spoke out on Sunday after Business Secretary Lord Mandelson rejected separate allegations about the prime minister's behaviour towards staff, which appeared in the Observer newspaper.
She has defended her actions, saying: "We are not naming names and we are not disclosing confidential data."
The National Bullying Helpline's patrons - including Tory MP Ann Widdecombe and TV presenter Sarah Cawood - have stood down.
The Charity Commission says it received a number of complaints over the weekend concerning the organisation and that it would be contacting it for further information.
It also confirmed it looked into concerns about the National Bullying Helpline two years ago.