Kate McCann: "I wouldn't behave like that..."

Madeleine McCann search fund running out of money, 03 November 2010

Madeleine McCann search fund running out of money Channel 4 News Wednesday 03 November 2010 Madeleine McCann's parents tell Darshna Soni their fear that the authorities have given up searching for their missing little girl. Their own fund to find her could run out of money by next spring. It is now three and a half years since Madeleine McCann went missing – an arbitrary anniversary, perhaps, but her parents are desperate to keep the story in the news. Gerry and Kate McCann rarely give television interviews, but they told me they believe the authorities have effectively given up searching for the toddler. Mr McCann told Channel 4 News: "The authorities haven't done anything proactive in the search for well over two years now. We think it's fundamental that a case review is undertaken." The McCann's daughter went missing on a family holiday to Portugal on 3 May 2007, a few days before her fourth birthday. The couple were dining with friends at a nearby restaurant when she disappeared. Uneasy relationship with detectives The original investigation was led by the Portuguese police and saw the couple themselves questioned over Madeleine's disappearance. Although they were exonerated, they have since had an uneasy relationship with detectives, whom they claim have now given up on their daughter. You can watch the whole interview with the McCanns at the Channel 4 News You Tube Channel. Since Madeleine's disappearance, the couple have paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to private detectives. They set up a fund for and received donations from the public and wealthy businessmen, including Sir Richard Branson. Cash flow problems The fund raised more than £1.8m from donations and some merchandise sales in the first financial year after Madeleine's disappearance. The accounts of the fund say the money was spent on searching for Madeleine. None was used to pay the McCann's own legal defence costs. In the first year, £250,000 was spent on "search fees", with £123,573 spent on campaign management and £7,993 on hotels, travel and subsistence, among other costs. By the end of the financial year – 31 March 2008 – the fund had just over £1m. Over the following year, the 2009 accounts show that donations fell as awareness of the case dipped. As such, the fund spent more in trying to find Madeleine than it received in donations up until 31 March 2009, drawing on its cash reserves. On 31 March 2009, it had £690,000. But the pattern of dwindling donations continued, as the costs of running the fund and keeping up awareness remained the same, leading to the difficult financial situation the fund is in now. Today, the fund has less than £300,000 left. They have written an open letter to supporters and celebrities, appealing for help. Mr and Mrs McCann say the money will run out by next spring. "There are days when it feels like feel obstacles after obstacle are thrown in your way," Mrs McCann told me. Home Secretaries The couple have now met with three Home Secretaries: Alan Johnson, Jacqui Smith, and most recently Theresa May, to ask for a review of the case. Mr Johnson commissioned a "scoping exercise" by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre to see if a review would be helpful. Since then, however, progress seems to have stalled. Mrs McCann told me that Mrs May admitted she had not even read the scoping report when the couple met her. They are asking the public to sign a petition backing their calls for a review. "The clock keeps ticking, the calendar keeps turning. There are days when we look at each other and think God I wish it was all over... I wish Madeleine was back with us full stop. But we can't stop, no matter how tiring, no matter how many blocks are put in our way because a little girl is still missing," said Mrs McCann.

Mrs McCann told me she doesn't read most of what is written Mr and Mrs McCann know there will always be those who feel there are unanswered questions about their daughter's disappearance, writes Channel 4 News Midlands Correspondent Darshna Soni. The story attracted worldwide attention and elicts a huge response - I have been inundated with Twitter and email messages today. There are dozens of websites and Youtube videos dedicated to exploring alternative accounts of what could have happened to the little girl. These range from conspiracy theories to legitimate questions about how donations have been spent, which is something we have tried to investigate. The couple have had a difficult relationship with the press; They know they need the publicity, but at the same time have been hurt by some of the accusations made against them. Mrs McCann told me she doesn't read most of what is written, as most of it is without evidence. "You have to question their motives," she told me. "I don't value their opinion" The vast majority of the public, she believes, are good people who support them in their search for Madeleine.

Channel 4 (part 1 of 2), 03 November 2010

Transcript By Nigel Moore Darshna Soni: You are calling for a review of the investigation. Explain to us, why? Gerry McCann: Well, I think the first thing to, you know... to tell the general public is that the authorities haven't been doing any proac... anything proactive in the search for Madeleine for well over two years now and we think it's fundamental for any major incident, errr... case, that a case review is undertaken, errr... to look at all the avenues that could be explored that might lead to, errr... new information coming into the inquiry. Darshna Soni: You say that they've been doing nothing proactive. What have they been doing for the last two... two and a half years? People might be surprised to hear that. Gerry McCann: Well... Kate McCann: Well, I think if information comes in, certainly to the British authorities, that, if they're able to, they will have a look at it and if they feel it's necessary they'll send it over to Portugal. But they're actually waiting for information to come in rather than trying to bring information in that could find her. Darshna Soni: Do you think it makes it difficult for them, though, because you have got your own private investigators looking for your daughter? Does that make your relationship with the police difficult? Gerry McCann: It shouldn't, errr... I mean, its not competition. They should be, errr... working together, errr... if anything. The fact, if there wasn't, errr... private investigators, there would be absolutely no-one looking for this, so I don't see why. It's not a threat. We don't have the resources; they don't have statutory powers. So there's a lot more the authorities can do. Errr... We do have people, though, on the end of a phone line; looking at emails; errr... interviewing witnesses; and generally following up, errr... new lines of inquiry, and they've passed a number of those on to the authorities. But, you know, this is an unsolved, serious case and particularly given the profile we think that, errm... a full case review should be undertaken and that has to be collaborative with the Portuguese authorities. Darshna Soni: Leicestershire Police have said to us that they haven't shelved the investigation because it was never their investigation to shelve, because it's being led by the Portuguese. What more do you expect Leicestershire Police to do? Kate McCann: I mean, I think it is important to say although Portugal has primacy, with regards to the investigation, it doesn't mean that there isn't things that the British authorities can do. And certainly a review is one of the crucial, significant things that they can take part in. Gerry McCann: I mean, I think what we're asking for today is for the governments to do more. Errr... Leicestershire have, you know, largely played their part and, errr... they have done that to the best of their ability but this needs to be done at higher level. It needs to be done between the governments and there has to be an agreement, errr... and, errm... parameters set, in terms of the review; how it's going to be done and what it leads to. And the Home... the last Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, errr... ordered a scoping exercise, that was undertaken by CEOP, and, as far as we can see, after six months, nothing's been done with that, errr... scoping exercise and we just don't think that's acceptable. Darshna Soni: So the previous Home Secretary looked into the feasibility of having a review. Has there been a change in the attitude of the new government now that we've had a change of government? Gerry McCann: Well, it's... it's difficult to know because we're not getting any metrics to measure what the government are doing, errr... against, so there's no timelines, there's no deliverables and time's just ticking on. We were told that we would be told the contents of that report; we haven't seen it; we haven't been told. And really, although the government say, errr... there are sensitivities - we fully understand that - but they should be doing more and they are... should be responsible for ensuring that Madeleine gets the best investigation possible. Kate McCann: We're not aware... Darshna Soni: Do you think there's... sorry. Kate McCann: ...we're not aware of any progress since the CEOP report was handed in to the government at the end of March and, even allowing for a change of government in the last six months, we're not aware of anything that has carried on from that report being given in. Darshna Soni: When you met with Theresa May, the new Home Secretary, what promises did she give you? Did she tell you what was in that scoping report? Kate McCann: Well, I think that's just it; there weren't any promises. In fact, she said: "I don't want to make any commitments". Errm... But, basically, what we need to know is: What are they doing? What are they going to do with that report? Have they read the report? Darshna Soni: Do you think she had even read it? Kate McCann: Well, she hadn't when we met her - she said that - errm... which was a bit disappointing. Errm... Hopefully, now she has. But we need to know: Where are we going now? Because we truly believe it's going to help the search for Madeleine. We know it's not easy, errm... but it doesn't mean it's not possible. Darshna Soni: I just wanted to ask you: You've chosen to do the interviews now, three-and-a-half years on. Errm... People will be wondering how on earth you keep going and how you keep this story in the news after such a long time? Gerry McCann: Well, we don't [laughs]. Although we offer, errm... to do things like this, really, I think, it's a reflection that the public, errr... are very interested and, errr... Kate McCann: I think the public care about Madeleine and that's why it's still a story, for want of a better word. Errm... And which is great, because without the public's support I don't know where we'd be, errm... Gerry McCann: I think that's crucial, you know. The government won't do anything without pressure, and it's the public; the government are accountable to the public, who elected them. And that's what we're asking for: Is the public to ask our government to do more and to work with the Portuguese government as well, and we should be putting pressure on both of them to solve this. We can't stop doing what we do. We need to find Madeleine. We live in a, you know, a life, errr... that's somewhat in limbo between our previous life, which was very, very happy, and somewhere now where we've got a different life but without Madeleine in it. And, errm... we can't really get off that treadmill until we find her or, at the very least, what's happened to her. Darshna Soni: And how do you keep going? How do you keep hoping? There must be days when it is very, very difficult. Kate McCann: Well, I mean, we've worked so hard. I mean, understandably; we're Madeleine's parents; we're going to do everything that we can, errm... and we work really hard. And there are days when it feels that obstacle after obstacle is thrown in your way and obviously the clock keeps ticking, the calendar keeps turning. And there's days that we just look at each other and think, 'God, I wish it was all over', you know, errm... but basically we wish Madeleine was back with us. Full stop. Gerry McCann: I mean, one of the... Kate McCann: You know, but we can't stop while we're in this situation; we just have to keep going. It doesn't matter how tiring it is. It doesn't matter how many blocks are put in our way. We have to get... keep going because a little girl is still out there missing. You know, this is not solved; this case. She's still missing and there's an abductor out there; there's a criminal out there, who is free to do this over and over again if we let him. You know, so, at the... it's another reason why the governments and the authorities should be doing more. Gerry McCann: I was just going to say, one of the... the, you know, the simplest things, is Sean and Amelie's attitude because they talk about Madeleine all the time and when we're having one of those days, where you just want it all to go away, and you're feeling exhausted, and they just say: 'When Madeleine comes home'. And there's no reason why she can't come home, that we know of, and it's happened for other children and they know how hard we are working - and they want Madeleine home as well - and that really does give us, errr... renewed energy and vigour to carry on what we're doing. Kate McCann: You know, in Sean and Amelie's words: 'Madeleine's missing; we need to find her'. I mean, it's quite simple when you put it like that, you know. Darshna Soni: So you still believe that your daughter is alive and out there somewhere? Kate McCann: Certainly, we know there's a good chance that she's still alive. I mean at the minute she's just missing, you know. So you have to assume she's alive, 'cause there's nothing to say otherwise. There's many cases, as you know, that have hit the media of children - and many cases that haven't hit the media - of children who've been found, years down the line, so you just have to keep going, you know. Gerry McCann: I mean, you could imagine that if we just gave up and years down the line we found her. I mean, there's no justification for giving up. Darshna Soni: And so you... you'll keep on searching for as long as it takes. Gerry McCann: Yeah, and we can't stop. I don't think any parent could stop. Kate McCann: I don't think you could live comfortably by sto... I just don't think physically that you could, or mentally, you could actually reach that decision, you know. Darshna Soni: When you mentioned the public support, and how important that is to you, how do you feel about the fact that there are still people who feel that... that you had something to do with it; and there are... there are websites set up to this? It must be quite hurtful still, after all this time. Gerry McCann: I think the key thing is that the motives of people who, errr... wish to persuade others that Madeleine is dead, errr...without any evidence, errr... to suggest that, have... have to be questioned. You know, we're here to try and make sure that there's as good a search as possible and that's, as far as I can see, the way the vast majority of the public want to see it happening. And I think they'll be shocked to find that the authorities have not been doing anything. Our focus is in making sure there is a good search, not in stopping one for a missing child.

Channel 4 (part 2 of 2), 03 November 2010

Transcript By Nigel Moore Darshna Soni: So are you still quite hurt by the things that you read? Kate McCann: Well, a lot of the rubbish I don't read, to be honest, because, as Gerry said, you have to question the motives of people like that; people who want to insist on something, without evidence; people who want to bring, you know, more pain and suffering to a family who are already vulnerable, who are already suffering. You really have to question those people and I... I don't value their opinion, you know, because I wouldn't behave like that... so, you know, you... you can't be, you know, detracted, errr... distracted from... from what is important, which is Madeleine, by people like that. The majority of people are good people. They're the quiet majority and, errm... I strongly believe they're the ones that want to find Madeleine. Darshna Soni: And you're appealing for more funds. What happened to the money that you had previously? There's... there's around, I understand, £350,000 left. What happened to the previous money that was donated? Gerry McCann: Okay. I think the first thing to say is that the priority today is very much about asking the public to help us with the petition, errr... to get the government to do more. We have been fortunate - although it's not helped us get where we want - by having a fund. And the fund was set up in response to people offering money; and it was set up properly; and the fund is very accountable; and it has independent auditors. We have a fund administ... fund administrator, who's got lots of experience, but the vast... the vast amount of... the vast majority of the money in the fund has been spent directly on search fees. It's obviously supported other things; awareness campaigns; errm... we have a part-time co-ordinator now; we have, errr... media liaison to deal with things like this here, and in Portugal, in trying to get our messages across. But the most of the money... the vast majority of it's been spent, errm... Kate McCann: We've had to fund an investigation for two years now which, as you can imagine - with several more than that personnel - it... it costs money, you know, and... Gerry McCann: Staff; expenses; interviewing; we run a 24-hour, errr... helpline, which is available; we run a web site - that costs money, updating it; communications. You know, all of these things do add up, errm... and without having the fund there wouldn't be a meaningful search today. Darshna Soni: You've also spent money on your own investigators, as you've said, and there have been reports that... that some of these detectives have... have taken money but then not delivered; they're dodgy detectives, if you like. How can you reassure people that... that money won't be spent on people like that in the future? Gerry McCann: Well, we've very much had, errm... for the last two-and-a-bit years, errr... we've had Dave Edgar, errr... who's a very experienced, errr... detective, errr... who was near retirement; he's been working with us. Errr... He's very much accountable for the spend. Errr... He feels he can justify every penny. Errm... But, at the same time, I hope public realise as well - as directors of the fund, and particularly when we were arguido, and there was no search going on - that it was incumbent upon us to continue a search in very, very difficult circumstances. So we have made decisions along the way which have always, we felt, been in the best interest of the search to find Madeleine and, errr... we're very accountable. All the expenses are there, errr... receipts and we've got quite a tight-knit team, errr... working on this but we need them. Without it there would be no-one there to go and interview people and follow up leads. Darshna Soni: What about the... some people might say that... that the judgement of the trustees is sometimes questionable because you have employed people like Kevin Halligen, who's now facing extradition. Gerry McCann: Well, you know, we're doing the best in very, very difficult circumstances, errr... I think that's key. We'll always take advice, due diligence is done, references are sought and, you know, the fund is accountable and, errr... as directors we're responsible for making those decisions. Darshna Soni: And there are also reports that you'd fallen out with some of the trustees, with your brother and your boss who have resigned? Gerry McCann: Well, that's nonsense. That's absolute nonsense. Why do you say we've fallen out? I mean the fund has changed, errm... over three years, three-and-a-half years. Errr... It's very different, errm... initially we weren't on the board, errr... because we were based in Portugal. Kate McCann: Nobody thought, you know, three and a half years ago that we'd be in this situation today. Its a big commitment, you know, and things have changed. We've got different phases, in the last three and a half years, so inevitably there's going to be changes. Darshna Soni: So, it's not that you've had differences over the way the money was spent or..? Gerry McCann: No, not at all. Kate McCann: Certainly not. Gerry McCann: In fact, any of the changes we have made recently are to make the fund more efficient and more responsive. Errm... Kate and I always feel, you know, there's still an urgency. It doesn't get easier and we don't need a large board, as such. We're trying to run the fund like a small business, in many ways, so that it's focused and that the directors, by and large, are hands on and responsible for certain areas. Kate and I are integral to all the parts of it. We've got legal advice; we've got specialist media, errr... liaison, etcetera; we've got a retired accountant; and, you know, we've got Kate's uncle who is there and is a good governance, errr... sort of person. So all of these are taken on board and, errr... we've got a very experienced fund administrator as well. Kate McCann: Have you talked about the petition? Darshna Soni: Yeah, I was just going to ask you about that. So, errm... I mean, you have mentioned the petition already. Errm... Just how many signatures are you hoping to collect? What are you asking people to sign for? What's the point of the petition? Gerry McCann: Well, the whole point is to call on the... the governments - both the UK and the Portuguese government - to do more, errr... in the search for Madeleine. And the first thing we feel that's fundamental is that they undertake a... a complete review of the case; preferably it should be independent - and we want transparency, as well - and we're asking the public to help us, errr... in that regard. Darshna Soni: And in ter... in terms of: 'you only have 350,000 left now', how can you... how long do you worry that you can keep going on... on for, if you dont get more donations? Gerry McCann: Well, we're always, errr... as directors of the fund, we're always, errr... looking at that because, errr... one of... the remit is for us to fulfil the objectives of the fund and the fund is to try and find Madeleine and bring those, errr... responsible to justice so there's always an agenda item about, errm... finances and we need to look at that. We've done other fund raisers in the past and we'll keep looking at that. We've been very fortunate from the point of view of having so many of the public make donations and a large part of the money we've spent, as you know, has come from libel damages which were paid into the fund. So we'll continue to explore it. We certainly need to be looking at, errr... income generation over the next months. Darshna Soni: There must be a huge pressure on you knowing that you've always got to look for money, though? Because, as you say, you know... Gerry McCann: Well, I mean, we'd love nothing more to find Madeleine. And then we wouldn't have to worry about that. You're absolutely right. Our focus is on the search for Madeleine and without the authorities conducting that then the onus is on us and we don't think that's right. The onus should be on the governments to do more... Darshna Soni: And you mentioned... Gerry McCann: ...We'd love to give that pressure away. You're right. Darshna Soni: And you mentioned your libel trials. How do you feel now that, errm... Amaral's book is... is... is going to be on the shelves here? Gerry McCann: Yeah, so... Well, you know, we've already alluded to it. Anyone who wants to convince people that Madeleine is dead, without evidence to support it, their motives have to be questioned. But today the focus is on asking the public to help us petition the governments to do more. Darshna Soni: Do you feel that you should be chasing, errr... libel actions? Some people might say: 'Why don't you just leave all the libel stuff to one side?' Why try and silence your critics, if..? Kate McCann: Well, obviously, we've talked about this in great detail previously. Errm... The reason why we had to take actiion was because we strongly felt it was damaging the search to find Madeleine and, as Gerry's just said, that is our ultimate goal; is to find Madeleine. Darshna Soni: And just finally, can you update people: where are you now? I mean recently you... you went over to Germany; you translated all your literature into German. So, how... can you update people? Where are you now? Have you got any new leads? What's happening with your investigation? Gerry McCann: Well, I mean, I'd like to say to you that we did have some hot leads but the very fact that we're calling for a complete review to identify further areas for investigation is telling you that, you know, more needs done. All the information needs to put onto one database because that may be the... the way that we find the key bit of information, a missing piece of the jigsaw. Darshna Soni: So, at the moment, you're worried that... that, errm... there isn't even a central database, so the information won't be... not getting cross referenced, not checked..? Kate McCann: Well, there's... Yeah, I mean there's information in lots of different centres that hasn't been brought together, and there could be two key bits of information that individually don't seem key but, put together, could give you some valuable information that could take you that one step closer to finding Madeleine. So, it just seems an obvious and crucial thing to do, and this is why reviews are done time and time again in this country on major investigations. Darshna Soni: So, you must be frustrated that the government has carried out a scoping study into whether there should be... be a review and no action has been taken? Gerry McCann: Yeah, I mean that's what we're asking for. We want to see what action; we want metrics; we want deliverables; and we want the government to do more. Madeleine's a British subject; the government should be doing more to look out for her best interests. Darshna Soni: And, I was just wondering, how can people sign the petition? Is it on the... Gerry McCann: So, it's on ipetitions, errr... website. So, it's www.ipetitions.com and then, errr... forward slash, peshish... petitions, but its quite a complex link. Darshna Soni: We'll put it on our website. Gerry McCann: Thank you.

ITV, 03 November 2010

Transcript By Nigel Moore Paul Davies: [voice over] Three and a half years on, Kate and Gerry McCann refuse to give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but that's exactly what they think the authorities in Portugal, and in Britain, have done. Kate McCann: I do, if I'm honest, I do, and I expected more. And whether my expectations were higher than... than they should have been? I don't believe so, because we are British citizens and even opening Madeleine's passport, on the front page, it says that: 'we will provide you with assistance and protection', and I feel she could have a lot more. Paul Davies: [voice over] The McCanns believe it's two and a quarter years since either the Portuguese or British police did anything proactive to search for Madeleine. They're sure there's information to be found and pieced together and are asking for a full case review. Gerry McCann: I want to make it absolutely clear we don't want to have a review to look over mistakes, and saying 'apportion blame'. Its nothing about that. It's about identifying areas for further investigation. Paul Davies: [voice over] The public is being asked to sign an online petition to lobby the two governments. Kate and Gerry McCann say they have met three Home Secretaries but need more than worthless words now. Kate McCann: Thoughts and words are not good enough, particularly when they are in a position that they can actually do something about it. Gerry McCann: For the... the authorities now, errm... if Madeleine was found, it would almost be by chance, and it shouldn't be right that this crime is solved by another child being abducted. Paul Davies: [voice over] The Find Madeleine Fund which pays for private investigators and an internet campaign is due to run out of money next spring. The McCanns say there are bad days when it's Madeleine's twin brother and sister who are now five who keep them going. Kate McCann: They're unbelievable. They really are amazing, errm... and they still talk about when Madeleine comes home, you know. How will they share the bedrooms? Will the three of them be together? Will... you know? What colour bedroom will we have, you know? They keep us going and this would be so much harder, or unbearable in fact, if it wasn't for Sean and Amelie. Paul Davies: Paul Davies, ITV News, Leicestershire.

BBC News, 03 November 2010

Transcript By Nigel Moore Kate McCann: Yeah, Sean and Amelie are incredible really and, errm... I mean, it doesn't bear thinking about, really, how we'd be if it wasn't for Sean and Amelie. Errm... They give us a focus, they give us hope, errm... they bring us joy, you know, and they're doing brilliantly. I mean, they've... they've taken it all on board, they seem to handle it, you know, perfectly well. They're incredibly well adjusted, errm... and they talk about Madeleine, even now; every day they'll talk about Madeleine. You know, she's in their role play. You know, they'll spot Madeleine stickers and say: 'That's my sister!', you know, and they haven't forgotten her, you know. Gerry McCann: No.

Liverpool Echo / Guardian, 03 November 2010

Liverpool Echo Video Transcript By Nigel Moore Beth Littler: [voice over] Three-and-a-half years after she went missing, the parents of Madeleine McCann are again stepping up their search. Kate and Gerry McCann are launching a petition asking the UK and Portuguese governments to do more. Gerry McCann: For the last two-and-a-half years, errr... the authorities have not been doing anything proactive to find Madeleine, errm... that's been despite our best efforts to encourage them to do so and, errr... I don't think it's right that the onus should fall on us; the authorities really should be doing more. Kate McCann: I mean, we had mentioned, obviously, we've met several, errm... home secretaries and we met Alan Johnson previously and he actually commissioned the report - the scoping exercise to be carried out by CEOP - basically to see if a review would be helpful, errr... to the search for Madeleine. So we did actually feel we were making progress and that report was carried out, errm... we haven't seen the results of it and it has actually been sitting with the government since March. Now, admittedly, we've obviously had a change of government since then but it's six months now and nothing has been done with the report. We're not even sure if it's been read, yet. It certainly hadn't been read in August we were told, so... Gerry McCann: I think it's fundamental, you know, there hasn't been a formal case review and I think for such a serious case as this and particularly with the profile of it and the international aspects that that should be carried out and, errr... further inquiries, errr... should be determined as a result of the review. Kate McCann: I mean, Madeleine's still missing, you know; she's a little girl. Her abductor is still out there, so, potentially, you know, by not carrying on with the investigation we're putting other children at risk. Errm... I think more needs to be done. Gerry McCann: I... I think you're right. What we... we actually asked at the last meeting was to have some metrics, errr... by which to judge prose... errr... progress and at the minute there's no time scales, there's no deliverables, and its really difficult to see what the governments are actually doing. Beth Littler: [voice over] Madeleine disappeared from an apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3rd 2007 just a few days before her fourth birthday. Guardian Video (from same session) Transcript By Nigel Moore Kate McCann: I mean, Sean and Amelie are great, you know, they're just... they're doing really well, errm... they seem to have taken everything on board and coped incredibly well with it all, really, and maybe that's one of the attractions of youth, really, errm... You know we're doing OK, I mean we obviously make the best of it, you know; life's not normal, if... but... although it's kind of... I guess it's a new normal, errm... Gerry McCann: It's hard, 'cause Sean and Amelie are great, there's no... absolutely no doubt about that, errr... Madeleine's still a big part of their life, errr... they very much want her back home as well, and our life is an awful lot busier now than it was before we went to Portugal, with the efforts that we're putting in and looking at ways to continue the search, so... But we, you know, certainly haven't given up on Madeleine like the authorities seem to have. - Break - Gerry McCann: We're launching a petition asking the UK and the Portuguese governments to do more. Errr... essentially, for the last two and a half years, errr... the authorities have not been doing anything proactive to find Madeleine, errm... that's been despite our best efforts to encourage them to do so and, errr... I don't think it's right that the onus should fall on us; the authorities really should be doing more. Kate McCann: I mean, we had mentioned, obviously, we've met several, errm... home secretaries and we met Alan Johnson previously and he actually commissioned the report - the scoping exercise to be carried out by CEOP - basically to see if a review would be helpful, errr... to the search for Madeleine. So we did actually feel we were making progress and that report was carried out, errm... we haven't seen the results of it and it has actually been sitting with the government since March. Now, admittedly, we've obviously had a change of government since then but it's six months now and nothing has been done with the report. We're not even sure if it's been read, yet. It certainly hadn't been read in August we were told, so... Gerry McCann: I think it's fundamental, you know, there hasn't been a formal case review and I think for such a serious case as this and particularly with the profile of it and the international aspects that that should be carried out and, errr... further inquiries, errr... should be determined as a result of the review, errr... and that's what we're asking for, and it's really... the onus is on the UK and Portuguese governments to, errr... sort that out. - Break - Kate McCann: No, I don't want to be appeased and that's what I feel, you know, that what we're getting at the moment. I mean, we need action. I don't need fluffy, worthless words. We need somebody to do something. I mean, Madeleine's still missing, you know; she's a little girl. Her abductor is still out there, so, potentially, you know, by not carrying on with the investigation we're putting other children at risk. Errm... I think more needs to be done. Gerry McCann: I... I think you're right. What we... we actually asked at the last meeting was to have some metrics, errr... by which to judge prose... errr... progress and at the minute there's no time scales, there's no deliverables, and it's really difficult to see what the governments are actually doing. Errm... And it... without seeing what they're doing, it seems like they're doing nothing. - Break - Kate McCann: Well, you'd like to think we're all par... you know, we're in the European Union here, you know, we're all within Europe. Surely, countries can work together, you know. I don't... I don't understand why that should be a problem. Errm... I'd like to assume that both governments value children; feel that finding a missing child is a worthwhile cause, and obviously if people work together we're more likely to get a result. I mean, what I'd like to know is why they don't want to do... to do a review, if that's the case, because, at the minute, we're not getting any reasons for or against. Gerry McCann: Yeah, I mean, I think the best thing is for this case to be solved and, at the minute, errm... you know, the authorities are not doing anything proactive to try and do that. - Break - Kate McCann: Children do get found, years down the line, you know. There's no evidence to say Madeleine's not out there alive, so it's just heartbreaking to think that nothing is getting done other than what we're having to do... what our small team is doing itself. For, obviously, a small team has limitations, you know. If we had a review, if we had help from the authorities, the chances of us finding Madeleine would be much greater, I think. - Break - Gerry McCann: Well, you know, we have that; a small team who have been working away and, errm... they're paid out of the fund and, errm... you know, there are substantial costs associated with that. I mean, today we are really asking for help in terms of people signing the petition; fundraising's a secondary objective at this point. But, you know, it's about the petition, asking people to help to put pressure on the authorities, errr... to do what they should have done all along. Errr.... But, you know, in the interim, we're carrying on, errm... with inquiries, we're interviewing witnesses, dealing with new information and continuing... continually reviewing the information available to us. But it's also important to emphasise that we do not have all of the information. There is, errr... information that went into the inquiry, errm... that was not made public when the file was disclosed and therefore it's impossible for our team to review everything because we simply don't have access to it. One of the questions is, we don't know how much information there is but there's a number of, errr... instances where we know that... we know information went in and it wasn't put into the file. Reporter: So, have you, kind of, have you got these missing pieces of the jigsaw that you're trying to get... Gerry McCann: Absolutely. And, of course, the team also does not have any statutory authority; no-one has to speak to them. Errm... so, I think, you know, what we're asking for the governments to do is to organise an independent, thorough and, hopefully, transparent review. Kate McCann: You know, this is something that's not uncommon in our country; is to do a review. Reviews are done frequently which indicates both the governments and the authorities think it's a worthwhile, you know, tool really, to aid an investigation. We're three and a half years down the line and there hasn't been one single review. So... Reporter: And you'd like to know why? Kate McCann: Well, I'd like to know why and I... I'd like it to be done because we truly believe it will... Gerry McCann: [interrupting] We'd like to know... Kate McCann: ...take us that step closer to finding Madeleine. Gerry McCann: We'd like to know why not? Why are they not doing it? - Break - Kate McCann: It's not that the boulder gets any lighter, you just get stronger, your legs are able to carry it; and I think that's true. And I think you... you adapt to the situation really, you learn different coping mechanisms, errr.... it doesn't mean that the pain's any less, it doesn't mean that the... you know, the whole issue is any less important. Of course, it's not, you know. We haven't got our daughter; Sean and Amelie haven't got their sister. I mean, our family's not complete and we can't stop, you know, it doesn't matter how tired you are, we're on this treadmill and we can't stop until we find Madeleine, or at the very least find out what's happened. You know, but that... that ordeal would be, you know, much more bearable if we had more assistance.

Sky News, 03 November 2010

UTV (part 1 of 2), 03 November 2010

UTV (part 2 of 2), 03 November 2010