Paul Flowers And The Kiss And Tell Escort

[Ben Manchester]

Yesterday, The Sun and The Daily Mail broke a story regarding the church minister and ex Co-op CEO Paul Flowers. You can see the article on the Daily Mail's website.

Reverend Flowers was already in the news, caught attempting to buy drugs in a newspaper sting. Rumours regarding Flowers’ escort use led to journalists calling numerous escorts over the last few days, trying to get a story.

Unfortunately, one escort (reportedly because Flowers owed him money), decided to disclose his relationship to Flowers, which has made front-page news.

Although it’s hard to imagine any of this would have happened without Flowers' own indiscretion, I obviously do not condone this escort’s behaviour and have removed him from the Manchester Lads website.

In my opinion, discretion is an important part of an escort’s service. After all, many of our customers are married or from family or religious backgrounds that do not allow them to explore their sexuality outside of a commercial arrangement. Discretion is part of why customers pay us and, having accepted that payment, we should honour that promise.

The majority of clients have nothing to fear of course, most people are not public figures like Reverend Flowers, but behaviour like this will obviously knock the confidence of some of our more nervous customers and you may need to reassure anyone concerned.

In terms of the press exposure’s effect on the website, yesterday saw nearly 2500 visits more than usual and the server was able to handle this with no down time. Having Manchester Lads in the national press has resulted in many more people discovering our service and may result in increased business for all of us – only time will tell.

[Brandon4u]

I personally am absolutely disgraced at this guy for what he has done. I have worked long and hard at building my reputation up and some little idiot like this could make my job even harder now.

He as a gay man should know that we all have secrets as I am sure he has had a few in his time. So with that should have a little more empathy for his clients. As for owing two grand..... Really!! We all know as professionals that we get payments upfront. That is quite obviously a load of nonsense. May Kama bite him back HARD!!

[James]

Unfortunately, the DM were trolling ML for further information on Flowers the day before yesterday (calling advertisers including myself and one from Bradford on a private number).

Since this message has gone out, any advertisers who do agree to take their money will have no excuse when they get kicked off - the choice regarding income is clear.

[HowWeOperate]

Interesting story. Glad you raised the matter Ben. It will be interesting to see how far this one runs. The Labour and Government links to Flowers will prove interesting. I'm not passing any judgement on the escort involved, he did what he thought was right, although his removal from ML is appropriate and expected. Having had the syrupy journalist from the Daily Mail contact me, I can see how they've persuaded him. Pounds signs can be very appealing, but that is no excuse. Although, without him, the hypocrisy of Mr Flowers would remain protected. Not sure it was an entirely wise move for the escort involved to make to bolster his escorting career - but let's see!!

I agree fully with James' sentiment, confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of any contract undertaken. Rupture this to your peril. For me it's what being professional means. Fortunately, my clients are aware of my stance on respecting privacy, it's a given, so it's not an issue. Hope the increased web-traffic flow helps others from the cretin's error in judgement.

[Ben Manchester]

Ciaron is a happy go lucky type and I think he's been a bit naive. Outing himself as an indiscreet escort in the national papers, using his real name, isn't going to be good for his current escort career, nor any subsequent professional career. Lord only knows how his family has reacted.

Ciaron's actually a really likeable guy, albeit not the most professional, and I doubt very much that he thought through the consequences of talking to the press, to either Paul or himself.

Unfortunately, these things can't be undone and I worry for his future.

[James]

I can't see how he would be doing this to enhance his own career. There are no ads out for him at present, and it looks like he had ceased any interest in escorting at the point of going to the Sun and accepting the DM's offer when they approached him.

My only contact with Ciaron was as an Escrow mediator for an agency I work on. Why you would need one of those for a £50 agency fee, I have no idea - maybe he can't be trusted with money.

If working in catering services is his level, maybe he has done himself a bit of good.

And if exposing hypocrisy were a duty, I'd be out of work.

[SleazyMichael]

OK guys I know this will provoke a robust reaction - but to be honest I have very mixed views about this mess - I only became aware of this 'rent boy' expose yesterday via a private email from Ben - the following I shared yesterday via my facebook - and Ben IF you have any issues SHOUT!

TO ALL THAT WERE UPSET and/or violently disagreed with my earlier share about this story - I apologize on reflection some of my comment was insensitive.

And with ref to an earlier response I have NOT supported 40% of the media expose by 'rent boys/escorts' where the flying fcuk did you get that from? - To date I have in the VAST majority of cases condemned ANY escort for breaking the code of confidentiality - however there is something about this case, that reminds me NOTHING is in black and white - this Flowers character had ALREADY been dragged through the gutter by the press way before the 'rent boy' jumped on the bandwagon - as a full time male escort myself would I have given the same circumstance myself have gone to ANY media - NO!

If the allegation is true that Flowers owed the lad £2k IF it were true and WE don't know - then I can understand - after all for this client £650 a night he would have considered to be small change - no doubt IF the lad had been charging £6500 a night even that would have been small change.

No doubt my point of view will still cause a hornets nest - we can surely be 'friends' here and have a different point of view?

Look Diana Nancy Taylor is a lovely friend - supporting me not just by being DJ at my events - but she accepts that I DON'T agree with much of her opinion - often we are are complete odds - but I still adore Diana as a decent lovely life force.

What now follows is an edit of a response I 'penned' to a guy I have much respect for:

I totally understand your advice and why you removed the lad - unfortunately I did not see the papers HOWEVER today's edition of The ( pardon me while I wash my mouth out with soap ) Daily Mail page 9 - makes great play of his past criminal record - so I can now imagine he will have alienated many potential customers - and seemed very niave - surely he would have appreciated that ANY tabloid paper will look for skeletons?

I of course understand why you removed the profile - however this is a rare occasion where 99% of escorts doing such an expose are in my view to be despised - however THIS case made me think again - more often the main story is when someone high profile is exposed by a 'rent boy' and is not associated with another expose - Paul Flowers - actually reminds me of that arrogant mayor in Canada who despite all the SCANDAL still refuses to resign.

I am not disagreeing with you - but do you get my point?

Well IF the unintended consequence is that your profiles get more trade - then well 'every cloud has a silver lining'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2512211/Bank-chief-Paul-Flowers-rent-boy-armed-raid--Co-op.html

[SleazyMichael]

REF Ben's comment: 'Unfortunately, these things can't be undone and I worry for his future.'

It is clear he never stupidly in hindsight thought the tabloids would look for dirt on his past - it was of course inevitable - please try and NOW consider what the lad is going through - most potential clients after the expose will run a mile anyway - so how will he now get income? - at least by escorting he had got away from the life of crime - he clearly may have chem dependancy - I just now worry he may revert to crime.

Or am I over-reacting? I do feel some are being overly judgemental - IF the allegation IS true that he really was owed £2000 then there was all the press about him creaming expenses - spending £400 for a mere 3g of coke - earning what a fortune - I would NOT have gone to the press - but I can actually understand why he went public.

[Ben Manchester]

Deciding to go public here wasn't a good decision whichever way you look at it Michael. Whether or not the client owed Ciaron money, and whether or not you believe (as I do) that discretion should be maintained, but purely from the long-term consequences likely to result from this story in his own life. Ciaron's put himself in a terrible position:

The whole world now knows he's an escort: his real name will be google-able for years, reporters have turned up at his parents' house and I'd be very surprised if he wasn't subject to tax investigation.

There also looks like there could be evidence that he supplied drugs to Flowers, which could result in criminal prosecution if the police look into it (which they certainly will if Flowers confirms Ciaron supplied any to him).

His criminal record (or at least a tabloid version of it) is now in the public domain, known to all his friends and any prospective employers.

All this because he believed a sweet-talking reporter's promise of gold.

[Craig]

I don't understand all of the condemnation directed at the escort who "kissed and told". Both the escort and Flowers have been stupid but both will bounce back. By the middle of next week it will be old news. Flowers will repent his sins and rediscover his religion and the escort will fade into obscurity having had his 10 seconds of fame. I very much doubt if any of this will effect the escorts career prospects.

The indiscretion of escorts - male or female - and the stupidness of clients leading to a media frenzy / witch hunt has happened before and it will happen again.

Some of the comments from other escorts seem more concerned about how it will effect their business and what their clients will think about their level of discretion.

While I accept that it is up to a person who runs an escort website to decide on who can place an advert on there and to remove an advert if it breaks the "rules" then if your going to remove an advertiser because he is indiscreet shouldn't escorts who use illegal drugs, have a criminal record or who, perhaps, practice unsafe sex be removed?

I was "outed" as an escort when I first started in the industry - in the dim and distant pass - it wasn't a nice experience but it actually increased my profile and business and the fall out soon faded away.

Re. Jame's comment "If working in catering services is his level" - perhaps it is a comment on the intelligence of people working in this industry? Perhaps if they fail in the catering industry then they can come and work in the sex service industry?

[Ben Manchester]

Just for information: I don't allow escorts to advertise bareback services either. Checking for criminal records is outside of my capability but I do remove escorts who steal or take deposits and don't attend.

[Craig]

The escort involved seems to have bounced back as, according to the DM - so it must be true - due to all the publicity he has been able to increase his nightly rate from £450 to £800 and has become a bit of a celebrity. Where do they get these stories from? Unless of course it is true.

[Ben Manchester]

Ciaron has different overnight rates on different profiles, I think they've turned that into this story.

[Craig]

And there was me thinking that I was either going to have to put my rates up or sleep with a "celebrity" and do a kiss and tell.!!

[Rab]

I remember thinking, when those two female escorts sold their story about being with Wayne Rooney (and then made a short video apologising to his wife - classy), there probably is a new client base out there for them - straight guys that want the (homoerotic) experience of having their cocks go where a famous footballer's cock has been.

They'd have to be careful how they marketed themselves, you wouldn't want to make it sound 'gay', just a hint and an allusion, let the publicity from the kiss'n'tell do the work...

I don't think Paul Flowers has the same cache as Wayne Rooney.

It probably wouldn't work for gay escorts at all, it's more about tapping into that male heterosexual homoeroticism of the locker room.

(I'm quite horny now thinking about a sweaty locker room.)

[James]

Another one - link.

Been getting the reporters calling as well.

I like the way he responds to the drugs suggestion by describing himself as "anti-drugs" as if he had to be. It's the kind of over-compensating response made by someone who does a good shift.

Clearly a person to avoid.

[Craig]

I'm very surprised that this story is still going. Any mention of Paul Flowers only ever refers to his drug taking - allegedly - rather than any dealings with male escorts.

If this programme was filmed before the Paul Flowers revelations his "good Jewish parents" must have been horrified when they heard that their "good Jewish son" was a rent boy !!

To be honest I think that person featured in the programme looks nothing like the escort connected with Paul Flowers

[Ben Manchester]

This new "escort" Adam Brookes isn't really an escort, he's a scene-queen that's flirted with escorting occasionally but mostly just wants to be on the TV (talent show type stuff) and will seemingly say almost anything to get his face in the papers.

It's interesting the Daily Mail describes Adam as "an escort who claims to have been paid for sex", rather than offering any evidence such as The Sun did with the Ciaron Dodd story.

[Craig]

Ah ha...perhaps I didn't read the story properly...now I know why I thought that they looked different...because they are different people !!

2/10...must try harder !!

[SkinTrade]

Looks like the Mail have taken down a number of those articles since the last posts in this thread. I wonder why?... Paul Flowers was in the process of taking them to the Press Complaints Commission which is of course his right.

I'm very surprised that this story is still going. Any mention of Paul Flowers only ever refers to his drug taking - allegedly - rather than any dealings with male escorts.

... and on and on it goes, not sure if anyone saw the Daily(hate) Mail's latest witch-hunt episode three weeks back?

Daily Mail: Crystal Methodist filmed on all-night cocaine binge days before trial where he told judge

I'm guessing a few of you will already know the ins and outs of these recent goings on? It's a small world after all, a smaller city. For the rest..

This latest story (with photos and video) is the result of another escort (not, I should add the young man photographed) who saw £££s and went running to a sell-your-story-whatever.com. This particular escort (from Bradford) I have met and is the "butter wouldn't melt" kind of lad. Of course it's fair to say (after all that's already happened) Flowers should have been extra-wary of who he puts his trust in and lets into his private life, but this young man was clearly taking him fir a ride from day one and was laughing all the way from behind his back.. to the bank ('scuse the pun!)

I believe the justification said Bradford escort gave for selling Flowers out was "karma", - but this comes after Flowers had been dealt with by the legal system, pled guilty to his drug offences, lost his position at the Co-op, Terrence Higgins Trust and the Methodist Church and had the nation's (moralising ,mostly anti-gay) tabloid media vilify him. So as for "karma" I don't know how that adds up. Flowers fled Bradford and attempted to start a new life keeping his head down after having the tabloid vultures camping outside his house only to have it all trashed again. This individual was allowed into Flowers life as a friend, long after his services were enlisted as an escort.

Any mention of Paul Flowers only ever refers to his drug taking - allegedly - rather than any dealings with male escorts.

They seem to be clinging on to his relationship with various escorts, and at the least using them to get another drug story out of Flowers.

What has disturbed me most about this entire affair (which has now lasted over a year) is the lack of understanding and respect for discretion and privacy a number of our counterparts have displayed. I don't know about you but discretion is part and parcel of the service we all provide and are paid to deliver. It sheds a bad, untrustworthy, unrepresentative light on us all. Rant over!

[SleazyMichael]

What a fcuking mess - it was noteworthy that when Paxo interviewed Flowers for Newsnight - he did NOT probe him at all on the escort 'kiss & tell' 

Craig: 'I don't understand all of the condemnation directed at the escort who "kissed and told". Both the escort and Flowers have been stupid but both will bounce back. By the middle of next week it will be old news.'

EXACTLY