CAPRiM

CAPRiM was established in May 1993 as a successor to the Economic League, which had held the construction industry's blacklist until it was wound up in 1993 after a parliamentary inquiry and bad press. It provided continued employment for two former League directors, Jack Winder and Stan Hardy.[1] The construction company Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd invested £10,000 in founding CAPRiM on the understanding that it would not interfere with The Consulting Association.[2][3]

In evidence given to the Scottish Parliamentary Affairs Committee, as part of its inquiry into blacklisting on 5 February 2013, the former CAPRiM director Jack Winder said that it held information and knowledge on campaigning groups and "far-left" political parties seen as a threat to businesses such as the following:[2][3][4]

• Greenpeace
• Reclaim the Streets
• Ethical consumerism
• Campaign Against the Arms Trade
• Animal rights
• Anti-GM activists

CAPRiM warned firms of those that it believed could "weaken a company's ability to manage its affairs profitably". Its monitor said: "Companies need to be warned what these organisations are saying and planning. Caprim provides this information. And assesses the strength of the threat. And advises on appropriate action".[5]

Jack Winder claimed that the joint managing directors were himself and Stan Hardy,[2][3] and its non-executive directors were Sir Henry Saxon Tate CBE (of Tate & Lyle) and Bernard Norman Sefton-Forbes.[2][3] Hardy had previously been the director-general of the Economic League and was a director of CAPRiM until at least 1999.[5]