Labour attacks pounds 86,000 costs in Heseltine libel case
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.DONALD MACINTYRE
Political Editor
Labour yesterday renewed its attack on Michael Heseltine, the Deputy Prime Minister, after the disclosure by John Major that the total costs of the successful libel action brought against him by a television programme maker, Martyn Gregory, amounted to pounds 86,000.
The action was brought after Mr Heseltine and junior ministers at the Department of Trade and Industry described allegations in The Torture Trial, an award-winning Channel Four programme by Mr Gregory about the supply of instruments of torture by British companies, as "contrived" and "scaremongering".
In a letter to John Prescott, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, the Prime Minister disclosed that the estimated costs in civil servants time' of the action was estimated at pounds 31,000. This is over and above the total of pounds 55,000 damages and legal costs awarded against the ministers. Mr Major acknowledged in his letter that actions against ministers and officials for defamation were "extremely rare."
He said the last "faintly comparable" case was a libel action taken by a pirate radio station against the then Labour Postmaster General, Edward Short. The action was eventually withdrawn by the plaintiffs but the Post Office Solicitor and subsequently the Treasury Solicitor took responsibility for the defence of Mr Short, now Lord Glenamara.
But the Prime Minister insisted that the use of taxpayers' money to pay for the action was "entirely proper" and fully in accordance with rules which give departments "discretion to grant officials and Ministers all or some of their legal representation in proceedings arising as a consequence of their employment".
But last night Mr Prescott complained that Mr Major's disclosure was "yet another example of the soaring costs of Michael Heseltine to the taxpayer". He added: "First we have to foot the bill for his salary as a full-time Tory party propagandist. Then we have to pay for his massive staff and office. And now it emerges that his inability to tell the truth in this case has cost the taxpayer almost pounds 100,000, when the bill for his libel ought to be paid from his own pocket."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments