False death threat MP: It’s time to call the police
Look at this, courtesy of Josh Brandwood:
Is Lucy Allan’s fabrication of a death threat by a member of the public already the subject of court proceedings? That’s the first This Writer has heard of it. It isn’t confidential (obviously); nor is it libellous to say Ms Allan made false claims about a death threat – she did; and the information isn’t defamatory because it is demonstrably factual.
So there’s no reason for the e-petition to be refused. There’s no point in asking the ‘Independent’ Parliamentary Standards Authority to investigate because it is apparently too busy covering up MPs’ misdemeanours.
That leaves the police. Is it possible to get Adam Waitling to make an official complaint?
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If a member of the public made a false allegation about a concocted death threat, they would be charged with wasting police time. Why not a member of the Parliament? Or are some more equal than others and exempt from the same laws and procedures the rest of us have to abide by?
To be honest, this looks like a civil libel case. The person she accused of making the death threat would have to come forward and litigate against her, and the case would be heard in the County Court, rather than any criminal court. She can probably bank on him not doing that due to the cost involved.
Crowdfunding is a possibility, though. What do people think?
With the apparent media coverup, ignorance to anything that challenges their ‘evil pacifist peace activists’ narrative, or whatever you want to call it.
I’d say it would get the support of many. Can’t help thinking there is something criminal about that type of lie though. That lie could have destroyed his life.
The more I consider it, the more your suggestion appeals to me. Criminal libel only applies if the statement could lead to a criminal act, and I was only considering whether the person about whom Ms Allan made the false claim was likely to commit such an act. Of course, other people might commit crimes against him. So he could make a complaint to the police that he feels endangered due to her comments. This would need evidence to support it, though.
Her actions are libel and constitute defamation also at first blush. The costs in defamation and the damages are limited. So I would suggest the victim could sue for defamation with minimal costs if need be with a fighting fund. She is not covered by privilege as it did not happen on the floor of the house or proceedings in Parliament. She should be censured at least by the house for her actions and can be if the committee on standards reports her to the house. A complaint should be made in writing to the standards committee, and that is the cost of a stamp.
For anyone who doesn’t know the laws of defamation, it is possible to defame a person in two ways: Slander (spoken) and libel (written and broadcast/performed). So Ms Allan’s claim was indeed defamation by libel. Costs in a civil court action would be paid by the losing party. While this is an open-and-shut case, it will still be necessary to employ a lawyer, in order to ensure that Ms Allan’s representative can’t pull an unexpected piece of case law out of the blue and win over the judge.
I agree that a complaint may be made to the standards committee – but would argue that IPSA should not be involved, as that organisation’s reputation is now tarnished beyond reclamation.