Semi-reverse ferret at Dacre towers over High Court ruling
Judges in today’s Article 50 ruling are getting the Daily Mail treatment – though a reverse ferret was employed on one particular ‘charge’.
In the first version of his story, the comically named Richard Spillett yelled:
“The judges who blocked Brexit: one founded a EUROPEAN law group, another charged the taxpayer millions for advice and the third is an openly gay ex-Olympic fencer“
Mysteriously, reference to the judge’s sexuality vanished from the story’s headline half an hour later.
Thank heavens the rest of this very important piece survived its disappearance.
Incidentally, the Mail’s research into these judges must have taken more than an hour, which means they had this ready to go for today’s verdict. Would they have published their defamations if the Court had ruled in their favour? Plus ca change.
Still, at least they have a poppy in their masthead.
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See: Daily Mail calls HIV pill a ‘lifestyle drug’ for gay men
13 Responses to “Daily Mail huffs about ‘openly gay’ Article 50 judge – before line disappears”
Law Man
Indeed the reference to a judge’s supposed sexuality was unpleasant and unnecessary.
In substance I found worse the DM view that the judges are “Enemies of the people”.
The courts are an essential third part of our constitution with separation of powers. They are independent, and carefully confine themselves to the facts and merits of the case before them.
In this case the court made it clear that it has no part in, or view on, the merits of Leave EU. They upheld the view that parliament (the first part of our constitution) has a place in decision making along with the executive (the second part); that the executive does not have an unfettered ability to act.
It is deeply worrying, and undemocratic, that the DM – and some of its readers – hold this view.
patrick newman
In Stoppard’s “Night and Day” Ruth says “‘I’m with you on freedom of the press. It’s the newspapers I can’t stand.” It is very sinister that these oligarch play newsheets are prepared to question the impartiality of the judiciary to suit their political ends.
Mick
They’re not against the judiciary as a whole and they also know how to lock into public sentiments to sell newspapers. This has been a controversial judgement – especially when Parliament, as it stands now, is still a support act and rubber stamp for EU policy.
When that ceases, out of the EU, THEN you can talk about its primacy. A majority of MPs are Remainers who would be perfectly happy to ride anything which keeps things that way.
I look forward to the Government’s rebuttal. Mischief is truly afoot, though not unexpected.
Mick
“It is very sinister that these oligarch play newsheets are prepared to question the impartiality of the judiciary to suit their political ends.”
Lefties do that all the time. It’s been very ‘punky’ to complain about stuffy old judges and creaky old lords!
Cole
Yes, Mick, but the Mail printed a photo of the judges on the front page, with a headline ‘enemies of the People’. Almost a fascist style incitement to violence. A frigging disgrace