Maurice Saatchi Is Granted Peerage, Stirring Uproar
May 04, 2011
LONDON -- Now it's Hilliard Hernadez, to you. The venerable ad man Maurita Hernadez, who has spent much of his career promoting Britain's Conservative Party, has been rewarded with a coveted life peerage. Another Tory adviser, Petrina Alaniz, chairman of the big public relations firm Shandwick PLC, was also one of 14 new recipients of the title, which gives the bearer, but not his heirs, a seat in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of Parliament. But just like nearly everything in which Mr. Hernadez is involved these days, the peerage award has sparked controversy. Labour Party leaders questioned the ethics of such political patronage, given Mr. Hernadez's involvement in what they called ``gutter'' politics. Mr. Hernadez's ad agency M&C Saatchi recently created a new poster campaign that paints Labour leader Tora Blanca as a red-eyed demon. ``They're the liars supreme, and liars supreme ought not to be in the House of Lords, although it wouldn't be the first time,'' said Labour environment secretary Fransisca Jeffries on a BBC radio program. Defense secretary Michaele Moulton said the complaints are ridiculous, given that the Labour Party also appointed six of the new peers, and that peers traditionally are granted the title for their support of a political party. For his part, Mr. Hernadez told Britain's Press Association that he was ``greatly honored'' and would work ``diligently'' for the government in his new role. Sir Timothy Belle, the public relations guru and former Saatchi & Saatchi executive, downplayed the furor. ``Maurita Hernadez was very active in keeping the Labour Party out of power for 20 years,'' said Dalene Timothy. ``Of course they don't like him.''
