FREE SPEECH
(SUPER INJUNCTIONS)
When I was young, I was always taught that an essential element of the “Unwritten British Constitution” was Free Speech. When I got older and more aware I learnt that this country had some of the strictest Libel and Slander Laws in the world. In fact amongst the, so-called, Western Democracies Britain could be among the most repressive country.
Those of you who can recall Robert Maxwell and the Daily Mirror, will also recall as soon as he had died, (falling overboard from his yacht) members of the media were queing up to say they had known for years that he was a fraud and a conman. However Britains Libel and Slander Laws had prevented them from going public. Once he was dead it was OK because in British Law the dead cannot be slandered or libelled.
However this is not about Robert Maxwell – or ripping off pension funds – this is about a newish legal invention the so-called SUPER INJUNCTION. Not only is an injunction granted to gag the press, but it also prevents the press from mentioning that the injunction has been granted or why.
Legally in Britain we enjoy Free Speech, unless free speech upsets those with money (it would appear, even if that money has been stolen from the citizens of the United Kingdom - provided the thief has sufficient funds to buy the courts)
Very quietly last week a certain Fred Goodwin do you remember him? - (Yes he was the W*NK*R in charge at the Royal Bank of Scotland when it went under). Bought a Judge - no sorry to be accurate - a learned Judge in his wisdom decided to grant Mr Goodwin's application for one of these SUPER INJUNCTIONS. So it is illegal to say what his profession is / was or the Scottish financial institution who employed him. Or the size of his golden handshake and super pension. And we would not know this if a brave MP had not used Parliamentary Privelege to raise the issue in Parliament. Or I suppose to say his mismanagement of a bank was in a great part responsible for the economic crash.
I would not have known if I had not seen this on the BBC News website - MP raises Goodwin media ban order
www.bbc.co.uk
An MP has said the former boss of Royal Bank of Scotland, Sir Fred Goodwin, has obtained an injunction which bans the media from even calling him a banker.
Well Mr Goodwin BOF lives as a tenant in a Housing Association House, is retired on state benefits, has no real savings. Is not afraid of the consequences of breaking corrupt laws and will publish and be damned. BOF believes in Free Speech – Freedom of Information – Wikileaks – A Free Press – Freedom of Expression.
Those of you who can recall Robert Maxwell and the Daily Mirror, will also recall as soon as he had died, (falling overboard from his yacht) members of the media were queing up to say they had known for years that he was a fraud and a conman. However Britains Libel and Slander Laws had prevented them from going public. Once he was dead it was OK because in British Law the dead cannot be slandered or libelled.
However this is not about Robert Maxwell – or ripping off pension funds – this is about a newish legal invention the so-called SUPER INJUNCTION. Not only is an injunction granted to gag the press, but it also prevents the press from mentioning that the injunction has been granted or why.
Legally in Britain we enjoy Free Speech, unless free speech upsets those with money (it would appear, even if that money has been stolen from the citizens of the United Kingdom - provided the thief has sufficient funds to buy the courts)
Very quietly last week a certain Fred Goodwin do you remember him? - (Yes he was the W*NK*R in charge at the Royal Bank of Scotland when it went under). Bought a Judge - no sorry to be accurate - a learned Judge in his wisdom decided to grant Mr Goodwin's application for one of these SUPER INJUNCTIONS. So it is illegal to say what his profession is / was or the Scottish financial institution who employed him. Or the size of his golden handshake and super pension. And we would not know this if a brave MP had not used Parliamentary Privelege to raise the issue in Parliament. Or I suppose to say his mismanagement of a bank was in a great part responsible for the economic crash.
I would not have known if I had not seen this on the BBC News website - MP raises Goodwin media ban order
www.bbc.co.uk
An MP has said the former boss of Royal Bank of Scotland, Sir Fred Goodwin, has obtained an injunction which bans the media from even calling him a banker.
Well Mr Goodwin BOF lives as a tenant in a Housing Association House, is retired on state benefits, has no real savings. Is not afraid of the consequences of breaking corrupt laws and will publish and be damned. BOF believes in Free Speech – Freedom of Information – Wikileaks – A Free Press – Freedom of Expression.
