Organisation: Fathers for Justice

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Analysis and commentary by Echo Research.

Live by the sword, die by the sword? The protest group which raised public awareness of fathers' access rights with headline-grabbing superhero stunts was last week brought down by its favourite medium. Wednesday's front page of The Sun exposed an alleged Fathers for Justice fringe plot to kidnap Leo Blair, and brought about the disbanding of the group: " Blair plot spells the end for 'Men in Tights'" (Times, 18/1), " Fathers' group axed after Leo plot" (Sky News, 18/1). Yet despite being portrayed as "a mateurish, angry and extremely annoying" (Times, 21/1) there was considerable respect for what F4J had achieved: " the issue of fatherhood rights and responsibilities has a currency … unimaginable three years ago" (Times, 21/1).

Sympathy for F4J was further stoked by conspiracy theories about the story's source: the security services and F4J leader himself were mooted as possibles. But Downing Street emerged as the most likely beneficiary of The Sun's exclusive, which appeared the same day as embarrassing Child Support Agency statistics, noted as " jolly convenient for Mr Blair" (Daily Telegraph, 21/1). Was the group " whose most enduring symbol is a chubby dad in a Batman suit" (The Times, 21/1) brought down by its own fringe element, or the " unmistakable aroma of fish" (Daily Telegraph, 21/1)?