Details of the Leyland slush fund first became public knowledge on 19 May 1977, It was then that the Daily Mail published the first of three articles based on three reports drawn Upshin Barton and on accompany- by Leyland financial director ing documents.
The story was sensational and Leyland reacted with horror. But by the following day admissions that bribery was part and parcel Leyland's business operations were starting to flow.
Leyland sales director Lester Suffield was quoted as saying. "Inducements are necessary in the form of repayment for services rendered, which enable you to do business that you would not otherwise have done' CLOUD-CUCKOO Another former Leyland executive told The Times: "In the ideal business orld dropsy, slush money calli hat you wil - would not exist. But Leyland does not opcrate in that sort of cloud-cuckoo land."
By 21 May, Leyland had confirmed the autbenticity of the Barton reperts, and Sur Fred person of the British Overseas Trade Board, had confirmed the wide use by British industry of slushing. He said. - In one third of our markets. bribery is a way of life'.
It seemed that all the sordid details of Leyland's slush fund would soon follow, but then Lesland had extraordinary piece of luck. Graham "confessed' that documents were forged.
One was a letter from the Bank of Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Supplement Page 2 of RYDER: "didn't prove anything"
England, the atlser
important was a letter purporting to come from Lord Ryder, head of the National Enterprise owns 95 per cent of Leyland's shares. This letter was said to be addressed Alex Park, Leyland's executive; and the Secretary of State for Industry, Eric Varley, Teatured prominently in the letter's content.
The forgery confession Barton was to retract at his trial chair- allowed Leyland to avoid the issues in the Mail Mory. only tom of the 60 pages of documents which the Mail had were questioned, Leyland and then Varley though Be cature story had been discredited, Thus Sir Richard Dobson, then chairperson of Leyland, said on 25 *lus not and has not heen the policy EWD of this company to secure busitiess by corrupt means. Although certain key *So far we have suggest that any paymerts bave bee made other than to the company's accredited agents or representatives. and we confidently cleared of the charges and inneendoe which have been levelled against us.. vidence of bribery or corruption were absent in Dobson's less publi ENDLINE for reference to the "perfectly respectable faer thar Leyland was acibing woes set by Dobson's 25 May statement Eric Varley echoed him the following day when he said, I cannot condemn too strongly the rosent attempts to undermine and more ompany's managemeni Thus emitted the authenticit Barton reports, which spoke freely of Board, which slushing. Dobson and Varley put over the impression that all the allegations in the Mail scory were based on a lie Socialist Challenge - which wider Although acted us We report Dobson's speech. the company's problems.
The bribe was declined with event The THE Tbe between Leyland this charge was be tale the been Lamaged evidence to expect to be we have found nc Such protestations of innocenoc example, his Bat the pastern of the cover-up was the confidence of th although Leyland ha In a sense this episode is incidental to the story of the Leyland slush fund cover-up which followed What it does illustrate is the extraordinary co-operation which exists the police and British In the case of the Leyland slush fund, this cooperation had the purpose of preventing at all costs the ramalachs VARLEY: Ryder report is 'sub judice emergence of the truth ahout low Leyland conducted its internationa COUSIS And the intrigue and dirty dealin he boses at Leyland Tol leading personalities on the state Government ministers. It is a story of
the trial the defence summoned these could be ascertained.
Leyland reacted with something akin to panic. They took out a counter
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LEYLAND F BRIBES SCANDAL
WE'VE BEEN CENSORED! The article was unsigned — not surprisingly, considering it was