David Davis (former Tory cabinet Minister) has stated that Russian oligarchs’ and super-rich libel actions are having a “chilling effect” on the UK’s press freedom.
The comments were made by Mr Davis (73), under Parliamentary privilege during a debate about ‘lawfare’, which is a term that describes wealthy foreign businessmen who use British courts to sue their critics.
The Tory MP cited the example of ex-Financial Times journalist Catherine Belton who was left with a £1.5 million bill after Russian oligarchs brought libel actions against her for her book Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Turned on the West.
Roman Abramovich (Chelsea FC owner) brought action against Belton, HarperCollins, and Belton over her book Putin’s People. According to Davis, in addition to apologizing and amending the book, Ms Belton also had to pay a large legal fee.
Ms Belton’s book includes claims that in the early 2000s Abramovich bought Chelsea for £150million in 2003 on the personal orders of the Russian president.
A Financial Times exiled journalist Sergei Pugachev was quoted in the publication. He had been once called ‘Putin’s Banker’. But Abramovich claimed that the claims against Chelsea FC were false and harmful to both him and the club.
Davis stated that he was proud of the country’s legal system. But what’s attractive for legitimate businessmen can also be attractive to people with evil intentions. There are some who have exceptionally large pockets and questionable ethics.
“These individuals use the justice system to intimidate, threaten and fear God in British journalists, citizens and officials, and other media organizations.
“What you get is injustice, intimidation and suppression of freedom speech. You are protected from any investigation. It encourages money launderers, fraudsters and crooks.
“It made London the capital of dirty cash worldwide. It can also make the state less secure by permitting people to be extended of foreign power in extreme situations.
David Davis, 73, made the comments under Parliamentary privilege in a debate on ‘lawfare’ – a term used to describe wealthy foreign businessmen using British courts to pursue their critics
Catherine Belton’s book Putin’s People (pictured) by Catherine Belton.
Roman Abramovich (Chelsea FC owner) brought action against Belton, HarperCollins, and Ms Belton over her book Putin’s People. In addition to apologizing and amending the book, Ms Belton also had to pay a large legal fee
Former Labour minister Liam Byrne said: “For almost a thousand years, our courts were sanctuaries for justice. Now they are arenas of silence. Places in which truth is killed.”
Journalists are afraid about Ms Belton’s and other cases. strategic litigation against public participation, or SLAPP, Mr Davis added.
He called on the government to follow the example of 31 American states and introduce a ban on rich individuals using ‘strategic litigation’ to curb free speech.
He noted that some of the US laws allow ‘journalists and media organisations to file motions to dismiss suits at an early stage on the grounds that the case involves protected speech on a matter of public interest’.
He stated that journalists can be sued if they are making serious errors or acting maliciously. However, billionaires and multimillionaires shouldn’t have the right to stop legitimate criticism.
“Even though someone may be successful in defending their case, they are still subject to material costs that will deter other people from reading a story and can even endanger lives.
Byrne proposed that judges be able dismiss a SLAPP matter.
Catherine Belton’s book Putin’s People – How the KGB Took back Russia and Then Turned On the West
His words were: “Follow money.” This is the best advice for journalists who pursue the corrupt. However, this wisdom, which was so helpful since Watergate is being used to smother, choke and strangle us in court by our allies, friends and associates of President Putin who has a mixed war against the west as well as against us.
“What totalitarians like autocrats or kleptocrats most fear is the truth. So what are they trying to do? To murder the truth. We are letting them do that in English courts.
Davis raised concern about journalists facing financial and reputational ruin in their defense.
The Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation is currently suing Tom Burgis (Investigations correspondent at the Financial Times) over his book Kleptopia – How dirty money is conquering the world.
Meanwhile, the debate saw a Tory tycoon and a senior Conservative adviser accused of trying to ‘bully’ former MP Charlotte Leslie.
These remarks were made in the midst of a fierce Commons debate over her treatment.
The parliamentary division slammed prominent Conservative adviser Carl Hunter, and multimillionaire Tory donor Mohamed Amersi.
Miss Leslie was an ex-Bristol North West Tory MP who argued with Mr Amersi over claims he used his wealth to buy a Tory organization she runs that seeks to strengthen UK-Middle East relations.
Comena is Comersi’s Tory Middle East Group.
This follows the Daily Mail’s Wednesday disclosure of leaked telephone calls between Mr Hunter & Miss Leslie.
Mr Hunter called her and said she had to “consider being able be able to take the dog to bed at night” if she did not apologize to Mr Amersi. Miss Leslie reported the calls to police.
It is not clear that Mr Amersi knew the nature of Mr Hunter’s conversations with Miss Leslie and instructed him to talk to her the way he did. David Davis (ex-Tory Cabinet minister) said yesterday that Hunter “engaged in bullying behaviour” towards Miss Leslie as he tried to make peace with Mr Amersi.
And Labour MP Liam Byrne said: ‘What on earth is going on in this country when people like this are able to issue threats to anyone – never mind former MPs?’
Last night Mr Amersi claimed Miss Leslie was not trying to intimidate him and said she had been ‘trying’ to make herself look like the victim, when in fact the reverse is true.
He said Mr Davis and Mr Byrne had “hidden behind Parliamentary privilege, to recycle false accusations” against him in Miss Leslie’s dossier.
He said he would meet with the MPs in order to “explain the truth” about his business dealings and relations with Russia, so that they could retract their comments. Hunter refused to comment.
Miss Leslie, ex-Bristol North West Tory politician (pictured), fell out last year with Mr Amersi. She claimed that he had tried to use her wealth to buy a Tory organization run by him which seeks to strengthen UK-Middle East relations.
There is no suggestion Mr Amersi was aware of the nature of Mr Hunter’s conversations with Miss Leslie or instructed him to speak to her in the way he did. Pictured is Prince Charles and Mr Amersi.
Mr Davis told MPs that Mr Amersi ‘tried to force his way to becoming CMEC chair – ‘because he saw it as his route to a knighthood’ and had ‘used his wealth and influence to try to bully Miss Leslie into silence.’
He added: “Mr Amersi knows how to get his way. To make a problem go away, he will throw money at it. For the past year, Ms. Leslie has suffered from this kind of harassment.
Chairman of the Commons Justice Committee Sir Bob Neill stated that she was subject to ‘utterly shameful intimidation’ during the debate.
Labour MP Liam Byrne claimed that Mr Hunter said to Miss Leslie, ‘all possibilities of it going further to an even more gruesome level’.
According to Mr Byrne, “What the hell is happening in this country?” He said that people such as this can threaten anyone and everyone – even former MPs.
The remarks by the MPs were made under Parliamentary privilege in a debate on so called ‘lawfare’ – whereby wealthy foreign businessmen are accused of using British courts to pursue their critics and undermine press freedom.