UPDATE 07/09 12:00 The Craig Murray defence fund has just sailed serenely past £50,000 in electronic donations in almost precisely 24 hours, even before any of the cheques have arrived. It is a perfect illustration of the grossly disproportionate threat to freedom of speech that is the English libel system, that this is not sufficient and we have to persevere with the appeal.
2,080 people have donated an average of £24. The largest single donation is £4,000. There are also hundreds of £3 and £5 donations which do really add up. I am absolutely stunned by the outpouring of kindness I have experienced – though in fairness I should mention the significant minority who say they are motivated by despisal of the Daily Mail.
ORIGINAL POST
I am being sued for libel in the High Court in England by Jake Wallis Simons, Associate Editor of the Daily Mail Online. Mr Wallis Simons is demanding £40,000 in damages and the High Court has approved over £100,000 in costs for Mark Lewis, Mr Wallis Simons’ lawyer. I may become liable for all of this should I lose the case, and furthermore I have no money to pay for my defence. I am currently a defendant in person. This case has the potential to bankrupt me and blight the lives of my wife and children. I have specifically been threatened by Mr Lewis with bankruptcy.
Mr Wallis Simons boasts on his website:
In 2015, I published a series of articles exposing Jeremy Corbyn’s links with anti-Semitic figures, and this led to what is now known as the “Labour anti-Semitism scandal.”
It was my Sky TV appearance on this subject which led to this libel action against me.
It is my view that English libel law remains an international disgrace, a device by which the wealthy and those with wealthy backers, and only they, can stifle freedom of speech. Contempt of Court laws – with a penalty of two years imprisonment – even prevent poor defendants like me from putting their case openly before the public in order to appeal for a public defence fund. I am extremely limited in what I can tell you.
How can it cost just one party six times the average annual national wage to litigate a five minute TV broadcast? The libel system, with its in-built advantage to the wealthy and those backed by the wealthy, is a complete disgrace. Andy Wightman, the brilliant Scottish land reform campaigner, has been going through the same Hell.
I find I am obliged to beg you for funds to help me defend the case. I need to ask every single person who reads this blog to find it in their heart to make at least some contribution, as much as you can afford. The scale of this thing is such that I need to ask those of you who are comfortably off to make a far larger donation than you might normally consider. In practice we are going to need to include some four figure donations to make the ludicrous amounts required. But every single penny mounts up and please do give something.
If you have ever enjoyed this blog – join the fight. If you dislike this blog but support freedom of speech – join the fight. If you support the right to defend Palestine without being labelled ant-Semitic – join the fight. If you despised the anti-Corbyn media campaign – join the fight. If the Daily Mail sickens you – join the fight.
Every donation, no matter how small, will be gratefully received. The case will be heard in the High Court on 7 November. In the event of victory, after costs are met (even a costs award does not cover all actual costs) excess donations will be returned pro-rata unless you specify they should be applied to the future of maintaining the blog.
This is a question not only of the continued existence of this blog, but of the future well-being of my young family. It is unfair on you for me to place all of that in your hands, but that is the situation into which I am forced.
UPDATE 06/09 20:00 In just 8 hours we have received £21,790 in donations to the fighting fund. This is a fantastic start. 836 individuals have donated, making the average donation £26. The largest donation received is £1,000 and the smallest are £3. I am incredibly humbled and grateful that we are starting to have a chance. There have been so many kind messages, of which “you cast a lot of bread upon the waters helping others, Craig” made me greet for a bit. I have particularly enjoyed those from people who declare they agree with almost nothing I say but support free speech! About 60% of donations are from Scotland, but so far we have 22 different countries.
I really cannot express my gratitude enough.
On a practical point, a number of people have said they are not members of Paypal so could not donate. After clicking on “Donate”, just below and left of the “Log In” button is a small “continue” link which enables you to pay by card without logging in. For those who prefer not to pay online, you can send a cheque made out to me to Craig Murray, 89/14 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8BA. As regular readers know, it is a matter of pride to me that I never hide my address. A surprising number of people have asked for a Bitcoin option and we are working on it.
I found this interview by the lawyer who is suing me to be particularly interesting. I may say no more than that without danger of contempt of court.
Donation made.
Thank you, really appreciated.
lobbed you £50. i don’t spend money on papers or a tv license, so i can afford to pony up to save one of the best and most vital political commentators in the UK. thank you for everything you do, and will continue to do. Good luck.
I tip my hat to you Sir.
I wil join you. once Uncle Sam frees my investment in Sweden, though I don’t see much chance of your winning, given what you apparently predicated about the man’s allegiance if there was a war between the UK and Israel.
Ome should avoid making personal claims unless one has a clear case, like what Trump is engaged in, and Captain Simon Hayward committed.
Hope to contribute later.
Trowbridge,
Would love to read the pleadings in the case if that were possible.
Not sure what Murray said – did he go over the top as you imply?
It’s an absolute disgrace! Fully support you Craig
Craig I currently cannot help you with a donation but will do so towards the end of this month. Love your work.
Craig Murray is a very worthy cause. I will gladly donate now
Sorry to be dim but why are you being sued in an English High Court? If you are resident in Scotland surely Scots Law applies?
Anne,
An excellent question. English courts claim jurisdiction over anything that can be seen in England, and within the UK you cannot oppose extradition into the jurisdiction. Another disgrace.
Donated. Sorry it can’t be more.
That needs fixing post Indy. No extradition on Civil matters.
Extradition isn’t really the word in civil matters. It’s more that jurisdiction in tort cases lies anywhere where the tort has taken place, and if broadcast is in England, the tort of defamation takes place there.
But this is a problem with internet-related litigation more generally. AG Bobek has recently proposed limiting jurisdiction to the domicile of the defendant (obviously) and the Member State where the claimant’s “centre of interests is located”. In this case that would still be England, but it would at least make it harder for cases completely unrelated to England to be litigated there.
(Jurisdiction within the UK is obviously outside the scope of EU law.)
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=192713&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=475813
I don’t do paypal, but do you take cheques?
Donation made. We’re all behind you.
Donation made Craig, we need your support for Indi 2, good luck.
….and another, good luck mate.
I don’t agree with a lot of what you say these days but I do agree on somethings!
ATB,
Martin
Good luck.
Donated
Good luck Craig. I will donate more after pay day.
Apply for political refugee status in a sane country. It’s that bad.
A little donation made from South Australia. I appreciate your writings frim a long way away….
Ditto from New South Wales. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. Freedom is NOT for sale. Right with you Craig.
Good luck Craig
Could we see the “offending” passage which prompted this action? I recall the posting on allegations of anti-Seitism in the Labour Party, but cannot remember anything that could be described as defamatory.
It would repeat the libel and make the situation worse, that is the problem.
Alleged libel.
Good luck Craig. Will donate shortly. Is there a time limit for donations? Presumably you’ll need it before the trial?
So sorry that this has happened to you. “They” seem to be targeting Indy journalists. We must help fight this disgraceful attack on democracy
Donated! Good luck.
I have a great deal of respect for you as an honest person, long persecuted by the establishment and I am happy to help you out.
Blogs themselves will be fighting to survive even more soon against the ‘alternative truth’ censorship ‘coming to an internet near you’.
I share your frustration about not being able to call the Israeli establishment what they really are, which has nothing to do with being Jewish or not – they made Israel a ‘religious state’ just so they could misuse language (as a linguist, I find the use of “semitic/anti-semitic” especially hypocritical since in its original meaning the Jews are not the only Semites and the people they mistreat are just as ‘Semitic’ as they are – but that is another dangerous comment no doubt!).
I wish you all the best and keep up the fight, no matter how weary you must already be after so many previous battles.
Is this the one?
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/04/the-new-mccarthyism-the-anti-semitism-hysteria-gripping-the-uk/
The article says it was a TV appearance.
Always found this blog informative and interesting. Small (I’m afraid) donation made.
Zionism does not equal Judaism and anti-Zionism is not per se anti-Semitic. Jeremy Corbyn is not anti-Semitic. The Labour party does not promote or harbour anti-Semitism and it does not have an anti-Semitic scandal. All this needs to be said (and to be sayable). You are a thoughtful and informed commentator on a range of important contemporary issues. I for one would be very sorry to see you silenced and crushed and I hope many others will come to your aid and in defence of your right to speak the truth as you see it. If you are sometimes provocative, that is all the more to your credit – the soundness and temperance of your opinions is beyond reproach. English libel laws are barbaric, but I am not without hope that the High Court will rise to the challenge and acquit you. I have made what modest donation I can afford.
Done:
Good luck Craig.
The damages demanded indicates to me that this is a malicious action. If that is all his reputation is worth to him then he is as fucked as the rest of us.
Offer him the 40K
Then tell him to fuck off
Rubbish suggestion. That’s like giving an admission of guilt.
Done according to my means. Treat as donation if not required. Keep asking if you need more. Andy Wightman and the Orkney Four show what can be done.
€20 – all I can afford. Hope it helps.
Donation made. Sorry it’s not more.
Done. The bastards cannot be allowed to win this. Free speech is too precious an endangered species to be allowed to die . . .
Donated! Good luck!