'Blackballed' alderman wins battle
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An elected City of London alderman yesterday won his case in the Court of Appeal against a "secretive and undemocratic" decision to bar him from office.
Millionaire businessman Malcolm Matson was "blackballed" by the Corporation's 25-member court of aldermen.
Mr Matson, 51, challenged the rules that enabled the aldermen to reject him even though he had been elected last November with 78 per cent of the vote in the Bread Street ward.
Lord Justice Neill, sitting with Lord Justice Waite and Lord Justice Swinton-Thomas, said it was "impossible to say that the decision of the court of aldermen was flawed by procedural unfairness".
But he was persuaded "that fairness and natural justice require that this decision should not be allowed to go unexplained".
He said: "The public rejection of Mr Matson is bound to cast a shadow on his reputation. It may be that through no fault of his he lacks those special qualities which the office of alderman demands.
"On the other hand his rejection may be interpreted as meaning that there is a black mark against him. The giving of short reasons will not frustrate or impede the exercise by the court of its customary powers.
"On the contrary the articulation of short reasons will enable the court to ensure that their decisions in every case are sound and manifestly just and in the interests of the City."
The Corporation is considering whether to appeal against the decision to the House of Lords.
Mr Matson welcomed the court's ruling as a victory "for openness and accountability in the City". The judges had made it clear that election to the court of aldermen was not election to a private club but a democratic process.
He said: "Good government is good for the City, and this judgment makes it clear that good government has to be open government."
The telecommunications pioneer unseated a sitting member following a campaign in which he questioned the "moral integrity" of the Square Mile.
He was immediately blackballed - but the aldermen never explained why he was not "a fit and proper person to hold office".
Sir Alexander Graham, Lord Mayor of London for 1990-91, welcomed the court's "positive" judgment upholding the electoral procedures for the post of alderman.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments