Mosley’s libel claim: Fright Night?

July 29, 2008

Stephen Glover writes insightfully over at the Independent on potential banana skins awaiting Max Mosley in his libel action against the News of the World. Certainly, Mosley’s alleged status as a bizarre Nazi sympathizer has been scotched by Mr Justice Eady’s ruling last week, but while many observers always thought the paper was on a hiding to nothing once Mosley brought a claim for infringement of privacy, this may not be quite the case with libel. As Glover says, “Isn’t this distinction between a ‘bad’ Nazi-style orgy and a ‘good’ ordinary orgy, which nonetheless comprised beatings, lice-searching and uniforms, utterly bogus? … the News of the World still has a few potentially lethal weapons in its locker, if only it has the gumption and courage to employ them.”

The newspaper may well decide that it has had enough of fighting legal claims by Mosley, and settle. But if not, the libel trial will be high theatre indeed, especially if, as is usually the case, it is heard by a jury. A brave man would bet on what 12 good men and true would make of Mosley’s antics.

Meanwhile, has anyone else noted that the Formula One man bears something of a resemblance to the late Peter Cushing OBE? Here is Cushing, noted vampire slayer, in Fright Night . cushing.jpg

Mosley, with a slightly different but no less avuncular grin, is pictured below. He’ll be hoping for yet further vindication, rather than a Fright Night, in his libel claim.

mosley-gd.jpg

 

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Supreme Court on Twitter

February 6, 2012

Something remarkable happened today. Yes, the Supreme Court launched its Twitter feed. It even has a Twitter policy, one of caveats, disclaimers and little by way of illumination but regardless: who would have thought that the successor body to the House of Lords would stoop to engage with the world of tweets, hashtags and retweets?

We look forward to the day when court business will be conducted via Twitter. Meantime, check out this link for an excellent blog on the Supreme Court.

Not so right said Fred

February 2, 2012
fred hat

So Farewell, then, Sir Fred Goodwin.

Now you are just Fred.

Not Right Said Fred, but plain Fred.

The Forfeiture Committee did for you.

No one had heard of it before,

But Dave said it had to act, and it did.

Trouble is that no one knows what to think.

Is it ‘Alas, poor Fred‘,

Or ‘Hurray! Sir Fred is dead!’?

We don’t know.

Do you?

By A. Mob, aged 1,378 and a half.

London Goes AWOL

January 31, 2012
CNN

STOP PRESS:

Fed up with being stuck on the Thames in south-east England, London yesterday decided to move. In a dramatic gesture which augurs ill for the Olympics, the city upped sticks and relocated to East Anglia.

Lawyers were not consulted about the move, and the city’s precise motivation remains unclear. However, financiers fear that London’s decision is a sign that it wishes to downsize. Moreover, a source from London said: “We no longer want to be Britain’s seat of power. If the Scots can deregulate, why can’t we? East Anglia is a nice place where nothing happens. It’s time for a quiet life. Please respect our right to privacy.”

Elsewhere, Birmingham did not do anything, but Manchester was seen to be packing its bags. “There’s an opportunity for us,” said Manchester. “We can become London.”

East Anglia said: “We don’t mind. It’ll be refreshing to be associated with something other than fens and flatness.”

A cartologist at CNN, which broke the extraordinary news, was later fired.