I’ve written about Trafigura before. Now they’re at it again, apparently – it’s reported that the BBC has pulled from its website Liz McKean’s original report about the dumping of toxic waste in Ivory Coast in 2006. That move may be part of settlement discussions between Trafigura and the BBC, which it is suing for libel; or it may be because of pressure from Trafigura, or just on the advice of BBC lawyers. I don’t know. It must be a matter of major concern, however, if genuine investigative broadcasting can simply be disappeared like this. Trafigura are, it seems, once again associating themselves with attempts to silence justified public discussion of their activities – and in the process, not just self-Streisanding, but now re-self-Streisanding.
Other bloggers have linked to videos of the original Liz McKean report or to a subsequent Newsnight report about libel law. I’m not going to do either of those things, at least not for the moment, but here is the draft Minton report, which was previously subject to an injunction, but which Carter-Ruck solicitors have since told me I am free to report on, and which is in the public domain already. Here it is:
And here’s the link to the PDF if you can’t read that. I’d never have done that if I weren’t concerned that Trafigura may be attempting to suppress BBC reporting.Why don’t they focus on getting their own case across, rather than trying to silence others?
I think there should be an emergency debate in Parliament about this, and was tweet-lobbying some MPs last night, for what it’s worth. MPs quickly spoke their minds when Carter-Ruck tried to gag reporting of their proceedings, and although I understand there’s only a day left before the Christmas recess, if they fail to find a way of raising this urgently, MPs risk creating the appearance that they are only concerned about the freedom of their own expression. And although the case is sub judice, the Speaker always has a discretion to allow debate and questions on matters of national importance. Which this is, especially given the history.
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