Amadeus Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Twitter in overdrive right now, as a gagging order against the Guardian by notorious law firm Carter-Ruck has spectaculalry backfired: British Press Banned from Reporting Parliament. Seriously. Stephen Fry's stream is worth keeping an eye on - he kinda made it a trending topic & keeps pushing it: http://twitter.com/stephenfry All because oil company Trafigura tried to cover up pollution in Africa - save to say that didn't work out as intended... Edited to add: So a few million people now know everything about this story & all the BBC reports is this? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8304483.stm That's below piss poor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 This country's libel laws have been a disgrace for years and one can only hope that egregious abuses of an already abusive system persuades folk that, dash it, something must be done. Interesting, that's the UK laws as opposed to the Manx System which the Gruniad described as Thanks to what one media lawyer calls the Isle of Man's neanderthal approach to libel, (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/nov/12/davidleigh) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I do think this is serious. The injuction seems entirely irrelevent and is purely to pressurize the Guardian. The information is, and has to be publically, available, Trafigura seems to be trying to control how public information is disceminated - I can't see how that can be justified. Its indefenceable. UK Libel laws etc have got out of hand and really do need reigning in - whether its Holocaust Deniers, Quack "Doctors" or large corporations they all seem to think they can get a judge to do their bidding. That isn't what British justice should be about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 And thank God for the Net and twitter. Freedom of speech seems to be undergoing a serious threat at the moment. Clicketh do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Trafigura seem to have backed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 A quite spectacular own goal. I find it astonishing that just when the UK is pushing free speech firmly into the public eye some Neanderthals elsewhere are trying to curtail it. This whole sorry "gagging" debacle is a victory for justice and common sense. Fortunately this kind of thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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