Wednesday

CopyGate. The Litigation Saga

I have not threatened to sue Private Eye, Andrew Bousfield or Phil Hammond. I have requested an apology and a citation to the title of the paper in the next issue of Private Eye. Hammond has already issued one apology for the prior mishap. I have asked for a amendment to the EDM based on the recommendations I drafted in the paper . The documentary evidence in parliament as well as emails to Phil Hammond show that the ideas and recommendations were drafted by me. 

Andrew Bousfield is currently threatening to sue me. No doubt his reasons are because the findings of the Bar Standards Board and the Court judgment have now been made public. He wishes to silence those findings. As a officer of the court, Andrew's record in protecting free speech is now of interest to the  public. 

I stand by all my allegations which are evidence based. I intend to stand by all I have said. I fear nothing.

I would like to thank the The Bureau of Investigative Journalism for their fairness in this matter. Even though Bousfield is a colleague of theirs, they have allowed the debate to continue on their website.

All updates will be placed on this website. 

With Best Wishes

Dr Rita Pal 

Related Posts

1. The Copycats at Private Eye

Update 20th July 2011. 

1. In response to the "Officer of the Court" and Free Speech comment. Andrew now insists I am free to write whatever I want.

2. He recently whined at the long suffering Bureau of Investigative Journalism who were forced to add the addition at the bottom after insisting their comments were now closed :)


“Following publication of the Private Eye piece Rita Pal bombarded many of the doctors featured with emails. Five doctors asked her to stop contacting them, one because it created distress. I also did the same. She has since contacted MP’s, my family and my former employers. I wish to have nothing to do with her, and do not propose to continue this debate with her here.” .

Lawyers do twist the facts :). Yet, Bousfield has emailed me consistently despite my one liner requesting he ceases to contact me. He clearly feels the need to spend the next 10 years fighting in  court against me instead of issuing an apology and a citation to the paper's recommendations. I suspect Private Eye are now intending on suppressing free speech after their campaign to protect it :). I have asked Hammond whether Bousfield is representing Private Eye and him. There has been no response. According to Andy, I am not allowed to complain, not allowed to mail MPs, not allowed to issue my view of our dealings to other whistleblowers and essentially I am supposed to sit tight and accept that my recommendations were lifted. Fascinating.

It is quite laughable that anyone would feel distressed by me sending our citation to the whistleblowing paper -unless of course this email was issued purposely :) :). There are no rules about contacting Parliament or issuing complaints or sending copies to his father who presents his email address online.

Anyway, if Bousfield wants to fight in court, around court, wishes to stalk me, set the large teethed dogs onto me, the fact remains that the truth of the matter cannot be removed. I developed the recommendations on the Whistleblowing paper and Private Eye lifted them. The correct way to deal with his matter is to write the apology and issue a citation in the next issue of Private Eye. Instead, moves are being made to silence me :). How interesting.

Once the apology and correction is issued, we can  progress from the art of minimalist scrapping. Bousfield is a master of minimalist scrapping. I often wonder how I fell into his playground. It is so uninspiring in many ways.  I don't even feel like litigating because the other side is so tiresome. Bousfield though is keen keen keen. He wants to litigate litigate litigate. *sigh*. Why don't I have the luck of falling into Ben Emmerson's playground? At least then, I could be dazzled by a barrister's good looks and be thrilled by the idea of litigation.

Until the next update folks...............



Update 21st July 2011.



Gone out to a party - back on Monday.......................

:)

4 comments:

  1. Way to go Rita.....

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  2. Superb. We know you will win this R. Just keep your head...

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  3. Rita, I am from the Private Eye whistleblowing group, I don't like them much and I think you are right in what you did.

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  4. Well done Rita......

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