Savoy Mafia
 Savoy Mafia  | |
|---|---|
| Type | • secret •  deep state |
| Interests | Al-Yamamah arms deal |
| Interest of | Simon Regan |
| Membership | [[|?]] |
| A deep state group tied to UK arms deals. | |
Origins
The 'Savoy Mafia' were a group of financiers, businessmen, arms dealers, senior Ministry of Defence officials, spooks and conservative politicians who met regularly at the Savoy Grill. Financial Times journalist Richard Donkin reports that Gerald James opined that what most of its members had in common was a desire to make a lot of money exploiting export credit guarantees – a government-backed (that means taxpayer backed) system that underwrites export deals.[1][2]
Leadership
The Independent reported on the group in 1994, naming its leader as Alan Curtis, the former chairman of Lotus and long-time friend of Denis Thatcher.[3]
Activities
Members of this group, "were instrumental in finding work in the US for Mark Thatcher"[1], whose name alone, it was decided "would be sure to impress the Arabs".[3] Together with Le Cercle, they would seem to have been involved in the Al-Yamamah arms deal.
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:Closing the Stable Door | webpage | 6 March 2007 | Richard Donkin |
- ↑ a b Document:Closing the Stable Door
- ↑ Dead Men Don't Eat Lunch By Geoffrey Gilson, pp.187-188
- ↑ a b http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-mark-thatcher-affair-arms-deal-triumph-for-batting-for-britain-steve-boggan-examines-the-history-of-the-biggest-weapons-agreement-ever-struck-between-two-countries-1441987.html
