Guardian wins right to publish cash-for-honours claims
The attorney general Lord Goldsmith and Metropolitan police have failed to stop the Guardian publishing a story relating to the ongoing cash-for-honours investigation.
Thought to be similar to the story at the heart of injunction against the BBC on Friday March 3rd, the Met state they were made aware late last night of the article “which gave us cause for concern.”
“We sought to obtain an undertaking from them that they would not run aspects of the story. They refused, so we sought an injunction, which was refused by the judge on the grounds that the newspaper had already been printed,” the Met and attorney general said in a statement.
The Guardian was told that the article did not breach the existing court order but threatened to prejudice any trial and be in contempt of court. The paper’s QC Mr Andrew Nicol argued this was highly unusual as no charges had been brought.
Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian’s editor, said that the article was well sourced and “clearly in the public interest”. The content was checked with Lord Levy, Labour’s chief fundraiser, and the police and seen by the attorney general’s office, who complained it was “similar” to the BBC’s story.
“We asked to see the court order and were told it was confidential to the parties to the original action,” Mr Rusbridger continued.
He argued: “In this country there is a well-established principle that the state cannot exercise prior restraint on newspapers.
“If the attorney general – who may be a player in this action – is seeking to gag newspapers he must give the precise reason for doing so. In the absence of any specific details we decided to publish.
“Secret orders and prior restraint on the press have no place in an open society.”
The story concerned claims that Lord Levy encouraged Ruth Turner, the prime minister’s director of external relations, to “shape” the evidence she gave to Scotland Yard. Police will now have to establish whether this appears to have been the case.
Both have been arrested and questioned on suspicion of trying to pervert the course of justice and both deny any wrongdoing.
