At the High Court today the following joint statement was agreed.
On 29 April 2016, Jake Wallis Simons and Craig Murray appeared together on Sky News to debate anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom. Following that debate, Dr Wallis Simons issued libel proceedings against Mr Murray. Dr Wallis Simons and Mr Murray have now settled these proceedings.
By this statement, Mr Murray accepts that Dr Wallis Simons is not a liar, and Dr Wallis Simons accepts that Mr Murray is not an anti-Semite. They are both pleased to have resolved this dispute amicably.
I am genuinely happy with this outcome, which would never have been remotely possible without the incredible 5,000 plus people who donated to my defence fund and enabled me to be represented by a top legal team. It continues to be my view that the libel laws are appalling – had I lost the case I was very definitely looking at a cost of £350,000 plus.
I am also very grateful to the band of readers of this blog who arrived to support me, and in the end saw very little. When invited to open the case the other side immediately asked for an adjournment to discuss a settlement. The hour of delay which followed was occupied on our side almost entirely by my agonising over whether it was morally acceptable for me to agree this statement and use the defence fund to pay my lawyers, or whether those who donated did so in the expectation I would fight the case whatever.
There were a number of supporters at hand who had donated, many of whom were personally previously unknown to me, and the opinions I could canvass were unanimously that this was a good result and a good use of their money.
Having agreed to settle in this way, I have arrived at this following decision. If anybody who donated feels they have been unduly sold out, please let me know through the contact button above and your donation will be refunded to you.
When we started the defence fund, our “realistic” projection was a total of £12,000. That we eventually raised over £100,000 is astonishing. Equally astonishing, but in a bad way, is that my own legal team’s cost almost amounts to that – I will publish full accounts in due course. After all is settled and refunds issued to those who wish, if anything is left over I propose to split it between Andy Wightman’s defence fund and Neil Clark’s case against Oliver Kamm. Again please do let me know if you object. It’s actually your money not mine.
I did not realise how this has been weighing me down, until the threat has been lifted today. I have never claimed to be entirely without fault, and I would ask you to refrain from any comment here which detracts from the amicable spirit of the joint statement. It is a time for celebration not recrimination, and please confine any rudeness to remarks about me.
Delighted at a fair outcome. I made a small contribution to the fund. I do not want it back. I gave it to help you, not to msketch a point.
Craig,very pleased to meet you briefly yesterday, and happy with the result,and as I said yesterday happy for you to use my donation as you wish.
I do though hope that your adversaries legal and other cost were at least as high as yours !
Excellent result Craig, a weight lifted from your shoulders, keep the good articles coming.
I donated, and am also pleased with this outcome. Have a great day Craig!
Very pleased with the outcome and your plans for any money left over.
It’s a good result, I’m happy for you to do whatever you think is fit with my small contribution, your suggestion seems appropriate, would happily contribute again if the need be.
Well done, Craig. Let’s push for a US-type First Amendment approach in British law, because as it stands the law is farcical.
Very pleased to hear this. Drink or donate my contribution as you wish.
Sounds like good-sense prevailed, very happy to have contributed to your fund and with your proposal. All the best.
Delighted with the outcome, Craig. Well done for standing your ground, and putting everything on the line for your principles.
A great result for Craig and his family. A great result also for all who contributed what they could, sometimes only verbal/written support. It all added up, to spike the aggressor’s guns.
A great lesson in the power we all have to make the World a better place.
Well done, Craig.
On the Beeb today it was mentioned that the DfID money Patel had promised to divert was to go towards helping injured Syrian “refugees” in the Golan Heights. For some time there have been reports (not covered by MSM) about the IDF treating injured head-choppers in the Golan Heights. I wonder…
I’m wondering too ..
Sounds very dodgy to me.
Hopefully she’ll be fired by the end of the day.
No 10 ie Theresa May knew all about the trip and the meetings.
Pollard is the editor of the JC.
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/no-10-knew-about-priti-patel-israel-meetings-1.447605
It’s not “reports”; it is rather standard knowledge that those hospitals treat only jihadis and their families, nobody from the Government side.
The Patel business is just standard Israeli policy – do secret deals one-to-one with foreign leaders, often late at night. (Probably Patel didn’t like the late at night bit). Just look at the deal done before Suez. Or Oslo. We’ll probably find this was an Israeli initiative.
Probably?
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/11/go-stand-trial/comment-page-7/#comment-706866
Here’s Priti (2013) on transparency and aid budgets…
“Decisions on aid budget spending should be made carefully and transparently ….”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-ministers-rebuff-tony-blair-over-africa-charity-funding-8786821.html
Indeed.
Actually,the only reports I have seen were sometime ago in the Daily Mail. They were posted here and someone had the link no idea how to find it again. They reported Israeli medics patching up ISIS fighters and sending them back to recover then presumably back to head chopping or killing Christians or fighting the regime. The report from memory went on about how the ambulances suspected of carrying injured ISIS fighters were attacked in Israeli Druze villages….because obviously they are Christian and ISIS fighters had been burning, looting and raping ( I am not sure about that….does anyone know if the ISIS fighters rape or not ?) in other Druze villages in Syria.
There’s quite lot more, going back over several years – videos of meetings on the border, the people who are in the hospitals, the bombardment of Syrian govt positions, but not the jihadis, etc., etc.
By the way, Druze are not Christian, but a sect which sort of left Islam.
For example –
https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2014/12/07/israels-offers-aid-to-radical-islamists-in-syria/
Of course you are right. I was writing from memory, but the Druze villagers were still attacking those ISIS ,and Al Nusra fighters who were being transported in the ambulances, and Al Nusra and ISIS were attacking Christian villages. Apologies.
Under no circumstances, without exception, do I ever condone capital punishment.
For this High Treasoness, I would, of course, make an exception. And her pretty likely accomplices, the weritabley foxy ones.
Traitors, all.
What a relief.
Very happy for you Craig, although I can’t help but feel that the lawyers are the only real winners in this. Please feel free to spend the rest however you wish, but your suggestion of donating it to Wightman sounds like an excellent choice.
A man goes to a lawyer. “What do you charge?” he says. “Twenty thousand pounds for three questions,” says the lawyer. “That’s a bit steep, isn’t it?” says the man. “Yes, now what is your third question?”
Anyone who does not get out of a case as soon as possible is asking for trouble. I was the plaintiff in a civil case. The other side wanted to settle. My side refused. We lost the case in court. You did absolutely the right thing – remove the stress and minimise the costs and home in time for tea.
the rich do not always win but compromise because they can no wonder the uk libel laws are used by non uk citizens.
In other words, in light of the Jewish Chronicle’s revelations, did a British Prime Minister approve the use of taxpayers’ money to treat injured al Qaida fighters in the Golan Heights?
Remember AQ? They were the enemy. They were an existential threat.
That was the official line, at any rate.
The JC would say that though wouldn’t they?
It’s been a terrible PR week for Isr**l in the UK – exactly the opposite of what they are trying to achieve. Their obsessive over controlling ways within other nations may well be finally blowing up in their faces.
Certainly they took a big kicking from the Labour Party. Netinyahu’s appearance on Marr when down like a led balloon across the country. He doesn’t seem to realise that amongst the British public he’s only considered slightly better than Gadaffi and even then, not much.
It’s left most outside the Westminster bubble thinking, “why the hell is he on a domestic Politics show, does he think he’s a British politician now or something”
I get the sense that somewhere high up in the rarified air of the Civil Service Mandarins, a subset of powerful people have had just about enough of “plucky little Isr**l” interfearing in British politics, and their rather lumbar capture of less intelligent UK politicians.
I could be wrong but maybe this is why Craig’s adversaries got cold feet.
“….a subset of powerful people have had just about enough of “plucky little Isr**l” interfearing in British politics”
Alan Duncan works at the FCO. He was Shah Masot’s obscure object of desire. See Al Jazeera series on Shah Masot.
Best result that could have been realistically expected, I suppose, and clearly a great relief to you, so very welcome for your readers as well. Onward!
Magnificent..You Are Truly A Magnificent Human Being
I suspect the realisation that you had funds to fight the case inspired the settlement. We need a war chest to support all Independence bloggers so they can’t be picked off one by one
There is a gap on November 7th on this Twitter feed. 🙂
https://twitter.com/jakewsimons?lang=en
Absolutely delighted.
Also would be delighted for you to give any left over to Andy and Neil in particular as he is desperately needing the donations.
This thread reminds me of a book of condolences after one has died.
You’ve read yours?
No, I was just reading Patel’s which is much better than this thread’s.
Judge Eady seems to have more animus towards independent voices than rabid tabloids.
Trow! You’ve become a right grumpy old bugger of late! Come on, share in the love, we’d all do it for you.
I haven’t changed one iota over this. Just call things as I see them, and my brother just told me he would provide the money for the $6,000 bill i received for going to the New Haven/Yale ER.
And I have never wished anyone dead, not even scum like Nixon when he was still alive.
Posters should be allowed to discuss matters no matter how painful it is.
Certainly hope you continue to make progress with your health and happiness.
Trow,
I know, only giving you some cheek 😉 I’m ok still awaiting a hip replacement from the nhs, I’m glad, your brother can help, i detect that Americans are waking up to the idea of a public healthcare system, whilst Obamacare falls very short it is a huge step for a country once so opposed to the very concept.
It’s been a strange year all told.
Thanks, Shatnersrug you can certalnly say that again with the North Koreans burying 200 of its workers in a landslide caused by a quake in its Sep.3 alleged to be its latest nuclear test. Also claiming some one is an anti-semete is equal to just denying it.
Craig I don’t think anyone was expecting you to try and over turn the Libel laws of the land, the name of the game was to escape unscathed which both sides appear to have achieved. Any deal where both sides walk away happy is a good one. Had you insisted on your day in court you would have achieved nothing more than adding massive stress to your life. You made the right decision.
Happy to see a satisfactory outcome.
I am delighted that this horrible threat has disappeared and that you can get back to normal life with your family. I am more than happy that my contribution was used in this manner – my hope was to help protect you and your family – not to fight a battle of principle. That fight is on-going on many fronts all across the world and your excellent blog is one of the best. Thank you.
Happy to hear that this matter has been resolved satisfactorily, Craig. Feel free to use my small donation as you see fit.
Made up for you – what a relief it must be. If you take my advice, I’d be off on a trip to the Mediterranean sun for a few days! Well done.
You lift many spirits on your shoulders which are already burdened and are a star who will be remembered when most others are long gone.
Very best and genuine wishes for health, peace and safety for you and your family.
You are valued more than you know by those who wish you success in your great endevors.