Paddy French is crowdfunding
Weʼre raising £100,000 to defend a libel action brought by BBC Panorama reporter John Ware
- London
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THE BBC reporter John Ware has issued a claim for libel against Press Gang editor Paddy French.
Ware seeks £50,000 in damages over a Press Gang pamphlet criticising the Panorama anti-Semitism programme in July 2019.
Press Gang is contesting the action.
On July 22 Labour settled a libel action brought by Ware.
Labour apologised in open court and agreed to pay damages.
The action does not affect Ware v French which is a different case about a different publication
Ware v French will now go to court for the first stage this autumn.
This appeal is to help pay the substantial costs of instructing solicitors and counsel to fight the proceedings.
Ware's action concerns the Press Gang pamphlet “Is The BBC Anti-Labour? — Panorama's Biased Anti-Semitism Reporting: A Case To Answer” published last December.
This was a critical analysis of last year's Panorama programme "Is Labour Anti-Semitic?"
The Press Gang pamphlet weighed up the evidence and took a critical view of the programme.
Press Gang has instructed the London solicitors Bindmans.
We hope you’ll be able to support this appeal.
We’ll keep you updated on this site — but you can also follow events on the website, press-gang.org — and on Twitter (@pguk10).
Many thanks.
Paddy French
NB
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Updates
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- 3 months ago
Paddy French
3 months agoUpdate Yesterday Labour settled a libel brought by Panorama John Ware (and the seven whistleblowers who appeared in the programme). Labour apologised in open court and agreed to pay damages. This action does not affect the case of Ware v French. Ware v French will now go to court for the first stage this autumn. We're staying strong ... Thank you for your support.
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- 4 months ago
Paddy French
4 months agoJohn Ware has issued a libel writ. He's seeking £50,000 in damages. Ware v French now goes to court. Lawyers and counsel are preparing our defence. The costs will rocket — our target now jumps to £100,000. We'll keep you posted on developments. Follow us on Twitter — @pguk10 And on the website press-gang.org Many thanks for your support! Paddy French
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- 6 months ago
Paddy French
6 months agoUPDATE OUR LAWYERS have now replied to John Ware. The five page letter says Press Gang editor Paddy French has “complete defences” under section 2 (Truth), section 3 (Honest Opinion) and section 4 (Public Interest) of the Defamation Act 2013. “In the event that your client commences legal proceedings then the matter will be vigorously defended.” More details at https://wp.me/p3kXx7-20a
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Paddy French started crowdfunding
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903
Anonymous
Oct 24, 2020
Alan Marsden
Oct 23, 2020
Malicious people must be stopped from using our stupid libel laws to punish critics by bankrupting them. Ware’s programme is a piece of journalism and criticising it, even unfairly is a right.
£25.00
Anonymous
Oct 22, 2020
£20.00
Anonymous
Oct 10, 2020
£20.00
Anonymous
Oct 10, 2020
Best wishes for beating this vexatious complaint
£100.00
Anonymous
Oct 4, 2020
Anonymous
Oct 4, 2020
£5.00
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About the fundraiser
Paddy French
London
Paddy French, 71, is a journalist with four decades experience of investigative reporting. After ten years as a current affairs producer with ITV, he retired to edit the Press Gang website — press-gang.org — to expose rogue journalists like Andrew Norfolk of the Times.