Founder of bullying charity facing questions

By Martin Evans Published: 8:30AM GMT twenty-three February 2010

Christine Pratt confronting questions over National Bullying Helpline Photo: GETTY

At the grave launch in the House of Commons some-more than 100 ministers, MPs and celebrities, lined up to suggest their backing.

But Mrs Pratt"s preference to have allegations about the enlightenment of bullying in Downing Street has led to criticism, a abdication and questions about the approach she runs the charity.

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A former cabinet member and personal assistant, the 54-year-old, is no foreigner to dispute and purported bullying in the workplace carrying twice being endangered in industrial tribunals of her own.

In 1995 she launched a �450,000 explain for indemnification opposite her afterwards employer BAE alleging she had been the plant of workplace bullying.

The box was in the future staid out of justice for an undisclosed amount, with conjunction celebration being authorised to divulge the sum of the case.

In 2003 Mrs Pratt sued the Japanese components organization Sanden International, where she was in use as a Human Resources Manager, claiming helpful exclusion on the drift of passionate discrimination.

Not usually did she lose the box and a successive seductiveness but the judiciary listened a array of allegations about her own poise that enclosed claims she had she had been "aggressive and confrontational" with one of her colleagues.

The judiciary row listened how on one arise after angry a co-worker was unsociable she had "thrust her face in to his and screamed "Communicate" really loudly and without delay in to her ear".

After withdrawal Sanden, Mrs Pratt went in to commercial operation with her father rising HR & Diversity Management Ltd in 2002, a consultancy gift small and middle distance businesses superintendence on a range of crew issues, together with how to understanding with allegations of bullying.

It was this experience that she pronounced supposing her with the undiluted height to launch the National Bullying Helpline and suggest unsentimental recommendation and await to victims opposite the UK.

Among those penetrating to behind the organization in the early days was the Pratt"s internal Labour MP Anne Snelgrove, who right away functions as an help to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

But when allegations about a dispute of seductiveness in between the helpline and the Pratt"s alternative commercial operation interests flush in 2008 the Swindon South MP motionless to repel her support.

Mrs Snelgrove claims she perceived a series of complaints from people endangered that the helpline was not only and was being used by the Pratt"s HR consultancy to "tout for business".

Mrs Pratt has certified that callers are referred to the consultancy if they need authorised advice, but she has insisted the agreement has been scrupulously approved.

The gift has additionally come in for critique from those who hold it has as well most links with the Conservative Party and can thus not explain to be politically impartial.

On the charity"s website the initial summary of await is from David Cameron, the Conservative leader, whilst former Tory Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe is one of the charity"s patrons.

Another of the supporters is the Hillingdon Conservative Counsellor Mary O"Connor, who was allocated the chair of the London Health Commission in Oct 2008.

The actuality that the charity"s offices are in the same construction in Swindon as the internal Conservative Party domicile has additionally lifted one or dual eyebrows, but Mrs Pratt has insisted her organization is not political.

She pronounced yesterday: "There is no domestic corner at all. We are a non-political organisation."

Whatever her motivations for going open with the allegations about Downing Street, it was as well most for one of the charity"s high form congregation yesterday.

Professor Cary Cooper a heading consultant on workplace highlight quiescent accusing Mrs Pratt of breaching the confidentiality of the charity"s users.

He said: "She did not exhibit any names, but that is irrelevant. She is divulgence the employer, that is No 10. I only think that is unconditionally wrong and inappropriate. You don"t do that. I can no longer be a patron."

The National Bullying Helpline is additionally underneath review by the Charity Commission after it unsuccessful to supply critical monetary information.

The Charity Commission pronounced that the National Bullying Hotlines annual lapse was 207 days owing and that accounts for the duration to Sep 2008 had not nonetheless been sent to them.

A orator for the Charity Commission said: "A series of issues have been lifted over the week end connected with the gift National Bullying Helpline and the Charity Commission has perceived a series of complaints. We are deliberation these to see that might tumble inside of the remit. We will be contacting the gift for serve information."