Well written Paul. Do we know if Laurence is going to crowd fund his appeal? If yes I would be willing to donate. I am sick to the back teeth of this woke nonsense. Shame on that woke Judge.
I’d agree that Laurence Fox was trying to highlight a real asymmetry in the way that damaging accusations are treated. However, the manner in which he chose to do it was itself foolish and damaging both to him and – by extension – his political causes. Like it or not, there was a categorical difference between the accusations made by the parties.
In terms of the law of defamation "racist" is a boo-word like "evil”. Although in practice more damaging to the accused person, it has no precise or commonly agreed definition, which means that it is not readily actionable. What Laurence Fox, or his accusers, or you, or I, think is “racist” is entirely subjective.
"Paedophile", on the other hand, is both specific and, if untrue, highly defamatory. It remains to be seen what level of damages will be awarded by the court, but Fox’s early refusal to apologise or even offer a clear context for what he said doesn’t bode well for him. Laurence Fox is not well suited to a political role, which requires practitioners to be as “wise as serpents” if not “harmless as doves”. He's an emotional volcano with the judgement of a child, and this is going to be an expensive lesson to add to the long list of others he's proved incapable of learning from.
Do you consider it conincidental that he made this specific allegation against two gay men? The ultimate sleight against a community frequently and falsely tarred with this smear.
Ill-judged certainly, but far from a random insult. Rather the workings of a cynical and malicious mind.
Good read. I think Fox is like most of these celebrities getting involved in politics from left or right they are basically attention seekers they just say what gets them the most clicks and headlines I’m dubious most actually even believe what they are saying
Very well put, whatever anyone’s personal opinion is.
Well written Paul. Do we know if Laurence is going to crowd fund his appeal? If yes I would be willing to donate. I am sick to the back teeth of this woke nonsense. Shame on that woke Judge.
Thanks. I do not know of any crowdfund plans.
I’d agree that Laurence Fox was trying to highlight a real asymmetry in the way that damaging accusations are treated. However, the manner in which he chose to do it was itself foolish and damaging both to him and – by extension – his political causes. Like it or not, there was a categorical difference between the accusations made by the parties.
In terms of the law of defamation "racist" is a boo-word like "evil”. Although in practice more damaging to the accused person, it has no precise or commonly agreed definition, which means that it is not readily actionable. What Laurence Fox, or his accusers, or you, or I, think is “racist” is entirely subjective.
"Paedophile", on the other hand, is both specific and, if untrue, highly defamatory. It remains to be seen what level of damages will be awarded by the court, but Fox’s early refusal to apologise or even offer a clear context for what he said doesn’t bode well for him. Laurence Fox is not well suited to a political role, which requires practitioners to be as “wise as serpents” if not “harmless as doves”. He's an emotional volcano with the judgement of a child, and this is going to be an expensive lesson to add to the long list of others he's proved incapable of learning from.
Do you consider it conincidental that he made this specific allegation against two gay men? The ultimate sleight against a community frequently and falsely tarred with this smear.
Ill-judged certainly, but far from a random insult. Rather the workings of a cynical and malicious mind.
Has the trial judge got the law wrong? If not, an appeal would be hopeless.
Good read. I think Fox is like most of these celebrities getting involved in politics from left or right they are basically attention seekers they just say what gets them the most clicks and headlines I’m dubious most actually even believe what they are saying