I have been through a trauma. And I need to speak publicly about it. About why this lawsuit sent me to such a dark place. And why the pursuit of individuals outside their news orgs is barbaric, cruel & a threat to all journalism
This is where it began. Nov 2017 with this video
🚨 NEW 🚨 'There's more at stake than who picks up the bill in the trial of Banks vs Cadwalladr. Public interest journalism is on the stand too'
This week's newsletter is out 👇👇👇
Public interest journalism on trial in 'libel capital of the world'
There's more at stake than who picks up the legal bill in the trial of Banks vs. Cadwalladr. Press freedom is on the stand
keepingthereceipts.substack.com
It’s an obscenity that the machinery of the British legal system can be used to target & harass journalists. This has to stop. I am profoundly grateful to Gavin Millar QC for setting out the legal & moral case for why we must defend public interest journalism.
And I survived 🙏
4 years of abuse. 2.5 years of legal harassment. 3 brutal days on stand. It was designed to crush me. And it might.
End of Day 3. 2nd day in stand. Survived. Today’s special shout-out goes to stalwart @ObserverUK editor @paulfwebster, @sarah_donaldson the editor who shepherded me through entire investigation. And the wonderful @_EmmaGH who co-reported Cambridge Analytica alongside me💕
End of day 2. Thank you so much to @rebecca_vincent for monitoring this case on behalf of 16 freedom of expression orgs. And so much love to my lovely friends & colleagues for having my back. 💕💕💕
I’m at the High Court this morning for @RSF_inter, along with @AzzurraMoores, as @carolecadwalla faces a vexatious defamation suit brought by Arron Banks. RSF is one of many organisations that considers this a SLAPP case, and stands in Carole support. https://rsf.org/en/news/sixteen-organisations-reiterate-their-support-carole-cadwalladr-she-faces-slapp-trial
The weirdest day. I cannot tell you how much I did not want to fight this case. How much I did not want to be in court today. All I can say is that when the chips are down, people come through. Thank you to everyone who’s been with me through this darkest time 💕
19th June 2020, a summary:
Something narratively satisfying that this latest party was attended by his interior designer.
If he had also siphoned off £1bn to a Tory donor for the catering it would be perfect.
Downing Street Cluedo.
Anyone else have Carrie in the Cabinet Room with the birthday cake?
Tories:
“It was on his birthday, there was birthday cake, snacks, people sang ‘happy birthday’ but let’s wait until Sue Gray’s report to find out if it was a birthday party”
@davidschneider There's always a Tweet https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1241348429546217475?t=ZcYU12y3D-u--4BLkQotPw&s=19
Josephine sets a great example to us all by postponing her birthday party until we have sent coronavirus packing.
Together we can beat this. In the meantime let's all wish her happy birthday (twice) whilst washing our hands. #BeLikeJosephine #StayHomeSaveLives https://twitter.com/LocksHeathCC/status/1241103836292530176
Boris Johnson:
"No-one told me that having a surprise birthday party with 30 people and picnic food and a cake and people singing happy birthday and our interior designer popping in during lockdown was against the rules"
EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson had a birthday party during lockdown in June 2020 despite rules forbidding social gatherings indoors, ITV News has learnt.
Up to 30 staff celebrated in the cabinet room where Carrie Johnson surprised him with a cake, we're told.
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-01-24/boris-johnson-had-birthday-bash-during-lockdown-itv-news-understands
It's simple.
He said there were no parties.
Then he said there were some but he didn't attend.
Then he said he attended but thought it was a work event.
Then he said no-one told him it was against the rules.
He lied.
He must go.
@Mick_Bailey Hi Mick, although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-for-the-christmas-period Thanks
@NadineDorries
#birthdayparty
@Femi_Sorry @NadineDorries Our team at work consists of around 90 people. Throughout the pandemic our offices have been split into zones to minimise potential transmission. We haven’t gathered together for a tea break, let alone shared a cake and sung happy birthday to anyone, since March 2020.
I'll say it simply for the willfully stupid.
The more people broke the rules, the stricter the rules had to be for everyone else to keep Covid under control.
So the Tory parties DO NOT mean there shouldn't have been any rules.
Anti-lockdowners are WHY the rules were so strict!
Think about how pub and nightclub staff feel right now...
Their careers went up in flames while Downing Street was in a state of perpetual Ibiza.
@NadineDorries Downing Street isn't ONE office.
If staff from multiple offices break their bubbles to all meet in one office for a birthday celebration, then YES that's a party and YES, that would be against the rules!
