The Royal Courts of Justice in London, where the law is known to be harsh on defendants in libel cases.

By now, you’ll probably be aware that I was not granted permission to appeal against the judgment in Rachel Riley’s libel action against me and therefore lost the case.

It was a bitter disappointment, which I thought emphasised the harshness of UK libel judges against those of us who have to defend ourselves against allegations against us.

You’ll be aware that I am forbidden from commenting on the case by injunction – but I’m sure those of you who are familiar with the circumstances will have formed your own opinion about what happened, and therefore about the judgment.

Now I have to come to terms with that judgment. You’ll be aware that a High Court judge said I should pay £50,000 in damages to Ms Riley and £100,000 towards her court costs. I don’t have that kind of money.

And you might have been led to believe that Ms Riley is not seeking it, after comments by her legal representative Mark Lewis in the Jewish Chronicle. “Neither Rachel’s barrister nor Patron Law (Mr Lewis’ firm) will see a penny,” he said.

But as I understand it, he then went on to demand half of the CrowdJustice fund – which is impossible to supply because it has been spent on my defence and in any case may not be used for that purpose. Perhaps Mr Lewis would like to go on the record retracting that demand – or denying that he made it; either would suit me.

My own representatives have submitted proposals for a deal. The alternative for Ms Riley is to spend more of her money on proceedings to bankrupt me – plus the adverse publicity she’ll get from bankrupting a carer and defender of vulnerable people including those with long-term illnesses and disabilities.

I passed the relevant information to my representatives a week ago and have not heard a word from Ms Riley’s people since then.

Perhaps there has been a communications breakdown. If so, it is for the lawyers to sort out; I’ve done my bit.

Sadly, my own representatives have yet to be paid for their work on the ‘permission to appeal’ hearing. I’m aware that some of you may be unsympathetic to this after the court loss, but I also hear that there remains considerable support for me – so I’m keeping the CrowdJustice page for the time being and repeating my appeal. Please:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

One good aspect of this is that I may have protected many other people who were threatened with libel proceedings by Ms Riley at the same time I was. The deadline for her to take action against them has passed so she cannot attack these people, who I believe were as sincere in their opinions as I was.

So, even in defeat, there are upsides to this affair.

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My legal team has agreed to a strategy I put forward for the special hearing on permission to appeal against the Rachel Riley libel judgment against me.​

It’s ambitious – by which I mean there may be a risk of time-wasting attempts by the other side – but I thought it was worthwhile and I’m glad my representatives agreed.

I can’t tell you what it is. I see no reason in giving my opponents any extra time to work it out and try to find a defence (yes, they would be on the defensive) against it.

But I think it strengthens my case enormously.

We’ll find out in a week’s time when the hearing takes place. Be excited!

If you can also be generous, I and my team would be extremely grateful. We need funds to pay for all this work, so please:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

The hearing will be on January 31, remember, and it will be broadcast from the judiciary website – https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/ – and available on YouTube.

I hope you’ll be able to watch it – and that we’ll all like the outcome.

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

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Rachel Riley has submitted her brief statement to the Court of Appeal on whether I should have permission to appeal against the judgment in her libel case against me.​

You won’t be surprised to learn that, in my opinion, it is utterly ridiculous.

Part of it – possibly deliberately – misrepresents the way Twitter works, the way people are expected to use it, and how some people misuse it in contravention of Acts of Parliament regarding harassment.

And much of it attempts to dismiss my appeal as challenging factual findings that I don’t like – which is another misrepresentation.

It seems to be based on guidance to the court which states: “In the absence of some other identifiable error, such as (without attempting an exhaustive account) a material error of law, or the making of a critical finding of fact which has no basis in the evidence, or a demonstrable misunderstanding of relevant evidence, or a demonstrable failure to consider relevant evidence, an appellate court will interfere with the findings of fact made by a trial judge only if it is satisfied that his decision cannot reasonably be explained or justified.”

There’s just one problem with that: my appeal is about showing the presence of material errors of law, the making of critical findings of fact which have no basis in the evidence, demonstrable misunderstandings of relevant evidence, and/or demonstrable failures to consider relevant evidence.

It follows that, in the light of these errors, the judge’s decisions cannot reasonably be explained or justified.

There is certainly some arguing to be done on the day of the hearing (January 31, remember, and it will be broadcast from the judiciary website – https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/ – and available on YouTube).

But I think I can win this. I certainly think I’ve got Ms Riley “bang to rights”, as the saying goes, on at least one aspect.

But I need to be able to pay my representative to make those arguments. As I mentioned in a previous update, my people are doing great work and I really want to be able to pay them for it. But I’m still (currently) thousands of pounds short of funding this hearing.

There are vital points of justice here, involving the protection of vulnerable youngsters online – and that’s quite a topical issue at the moment.

So please, if you can, do one or more of the following:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

I’ve got a good feeling about this. It is definitely winnable.

Let’s make that happen.​​​​

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

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We had to extend the deadline for this but we got there in the end.

As part of its order for a special hearing on whether I should have permission to appeal against the judgment on Rachel Riley’s libel case, the Court of Appeal called for me to supplement my written submissions with further documentary evidence.

That material was presented to the court yesterday (January 17) – and I’m very excited about it.

I reckon I’m putting forward a strong case that the judgment against me was unsafe, because it ignored so many aspects of the evidence and the judge came up with ideas of her own, rather than making decisions on what was put before her.

Ms Riley’s legal team have until 4pm tomorrow to provide additional information of their own. I’m fascinated to see what they’re going to produce. It will need to be better than “the judgment went against Mike so that’s all” – because my entire argument is that the judgment was faulty.

Sadly, none of this will mean much if I can’t pay my own lawyers. It is a strong argument but I’m still (currently) thousands of pounds short of funding this hearing. My people are doing great work and I really want to be able to pay them for it!

I know times are hard but there are vital points of justice here, involving the protection of vulnerable youngsters online – and that’s quite a topical issue at the moment.

So please, if you can, do one or more of the following:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

The special hearing is on January 31 and will be broadcast via the Judiciary website: https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/. It will subsequently be available there and on YouTube.

I’ll update you on the response from Ms Riley after I’ve had a chance to look at it.

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

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A special hearing on whether I should have permission to appeal against the judgment in Rachel Riley’s libel hearing against me will take place on January 31.​

I don’t yet know what time it will happen or in which court. That information will not be available until January 31.

It is possible that the Court of Appeal will screen the hearing on YouTube again – as it did with my appeal against the strike-out of my defences, back in 2021. That event attracted thousands of viewers, in comparison with only a few hundred for others.

It means there are 21 days left to raise funds to support my argument.

I wrote last week that I had been told I need to raise around £15,000 to fund the hearing. Since then, more than £1,500 has been donated – more than one-tenth of the total.

That’s a fantastic start, post-Christmas in a year when the UK is going into recession and everybody is facing huge pressures on their finances.

But obviously it isn’t full funding so please continue to give as much as you can – and encourage as many other people as possible to do the same. Here’s how:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

I am also interested in seeking alternative routes for funding. If you have any suggestions, please send them to me via the Comments section of Vox Political – https://voxpoliticalonline.com

I moderate all comments so your suggestion won’t automatically appear online; it’s simply the easiest way to get ideas to me.

There is a real chance, here, to claw justice back from a bad decision. Please don’t let it slip away.

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

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Once again we discover that justice isn’t cheap, in a land where it should be free.

My legal team has advised me that I need to raise around £15,000 to fund the special hearing on whether I should have permission to appeal against the judgment in Rachel Riley’s libel case.

The hearing will happen at the end of January or beginning of February, so the timescale is tight – but still possible.

Several times in the last four years, the CrowdJustice fund has jumped by up to £7,000 in a single day; it made £5,000 on the day it was launched.

But that was before the government managed to mess up everybody’s finances by trashing the economy. If donations come in as fast now, I will be extremely pleasantly surprised.

The reason for the high price tag seems to be associated with the fact that Rachel Riley was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list, for services the BBC linked to winning her case against me.

A possible reason for this making our case harder to prove is provided in this video:

The gist is that the so-called Establishment will try to protect Ms Riley, now that she has received this.

But won’t it be interesting to see what happens if she loses at the hearing, and if she loses at the appeal?​

I would like to see that, and I hope you would too.

So please, now and whenever you have a chance:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

This has become more than just a piece of civil justice.

It is now about questioning a system that offers protection to people who may not deserve it.

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

Vox Political needs your help!
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The Court of Appeal has suggested that the special hearing on whether to grant permission for my appeal against Rachel Riley’s libel win will be held on either January 25, January 31 or February 1.​

This is actually a little later than I had been led to believe, and I hope it means that I and my team will be better-prepared than we might otherwise have been, when we finally get to face the judge.

It also provides more time to raise funds to pay for the hearing. The announcement that Ms Riley has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list has attracted a flurry of donations but more is needed.

Please, even if you have already donated, continue to provide as much as you can spare, or help in the other ways listed below:

Make a donation via the CrowdJustice page. Keep donating regularly until you see the total pass the amount I need.

Email your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking readers to pledge.

On Twitter, tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

Use other social media in the same way.

And don’t forget that if you’re having trouble, or simply don’t like donating via CrowdJustice, you can always donate direct to me via the Vox Political PayPal button, where it appears on that website. But please remember to include a message telling me it’s for the crowdfund!

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
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1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.

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Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

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And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

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The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

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