Why Michelle Donelan's libel case 'boils the blood' of James O'Brien | LBC
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
- James O'Brien demands to know why there are 'zero consequences' as taxpayers foot the £15,000 bill in Science Secretary Michelle Donelan's libel case.
'It boils my blood', says James O'Brien, 'it's another example of the right wing media has been able to get away with metaphorical murder'.
'She essentially accused an academic of supporting Hamas...murderous, rapist, terrorists, from the seat of power in this country.'
This comes as Ms Donelan retracted her comments about Professor Kate Sang and agreed to pay her an undisclosed amount following her libel case. She said there was "no evidence" that the academic was a Hamas supporter.
It cost taxpayers £15,000 to cover these damages, her department has said.
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So in summary she -
- Completely abused her power as a minister to defame someone and ruin their reputation.
- Took this action despite having ZERO evidence for her claim.
- Based her attack on a report written by a biased, shady, 'think tank' organisation, that also had no evidence for the claims being made. An Organisation that should have no influence of government ministers, especially as it will not disclose its funding.
- Despite being very clearly in the wrong, she doubled down, and used public servants to try to find dirt on this person, and then tried to present this person's support for minority groups such as the trans community, as evidence of 'extremism' (so essentially a government minister is saying being pro-trans is an extremist position adjacent to support Hamas!)
- Then got rightfully sued for libel, settled the case because she was clearly going to lose, and got the UK taxpayer to pay her legal bills and the settlement.
- Has not resigned and has not been sacked, so despite hew awful behaviour, abuse of power, and just generally demonstrated she is unfit for office, has suffered zero consequences.
It is basically the Tory party in a nutshell, elitist, privileged, far right corrupt and incompetent politicians, pushing a far right culture war agenda, having zero accountability, zero morals, zero respectability and getting away with all of it.
Yes.😊
Brilliant analysis. So true.
She also lied in her 'apology'. She claims not to have accused anyone of anything illegal - but her own government made expressing support for Hamas a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
SHE SHOULD BE FIRED--TODAY.............
Happened in Labour Party 2016-2019 to the whole left movement which included hundreds thousands of decent people 😒
This is theft. Plain and simple. She should be in jail.
She made the accusation on 'X' not under Parliamentary Privilege. Therefore, she lost her protection and needs to pay up not the taxpayer.
Precisely.
It is clearly outside the course of her work as a minister.
she put her office on the letterhead unfortunately. She sent it privately and also published it on 'X'
Oh we know you people hate X don't you 😏 no free speech unless it's all left!!
@@dcarter6738 No because you so called "free speech" advocates want to use your free speech to take away the rights of others.
Of course a tory MP is going to use public funds to pay a personal debt, it is all part and parcel of the utter and absolute contempt they have for the general public who are not their millionaire mates.
@raider Maybe you'll win a million one day You never know!😊
If you're not angry then you're not paying enough attention.
or we do not understand what is happening under our noses. The politicals are gaming the system and we, the public, are expected to pay for it.
@ters Perhaps some people are working and are unaware of this.
You could almost say people need to wake up. Or, get woke.
I kinda wish I was ignorant at this point. It doesn't do my blood pressure well.
@@Andrew-ti8hi I work and do not even live in the UK. And I know of it!!! So, no excuses. Be curios and you will know all you have to about everything you need to.
If the Scottish minister had to resign after running up a huge mobile bill while on holiday & trying to get public funds to pay it then Tories should but they won't. Under their rule public money is for private use.
He also did a cover up and blamed the weans.
Effed up his comeback there.
@@julianshepherd2038 Still doesn't explain why this woman is still in a job.
100% obviously our taxes are just for their benefit
Socialism for me, not for thee.
@@mobsiesixsixsix9785 Answer; Tory
Imagine getting paid over £80k and asking the public to foot the bill. Absolute disgrace
You mean that the Tories are liars and cheats? Who'd have thought.
imagine having a net worth of £3million and asking the public to foot the bill?
Looking after the pennies is how the rich get richer
She wouldn’t have asked, she would have assumed
The bare cheek
Suella Braverman must be apoplectic, she only wanted us to pay her parking fine.
Speeding ticket wasn't it?
She was speeding to stop the boat😂@Boghopper1979
@@Boghopper9999 Think you are right. 🚔🚔
It's horrible 😮
Take that £15K and insert it into a 'benefit fraud' case and see the difference of reaction from our cesspit press.
Oh I totally agree, your face would be all over the Daily Mail. However, sell some dodgy PPE for a couple of hundred million & what's the story?
The story is a massive LIE.
@@kendiamond8722 is it? WHY IS THAT?
I am incandescent with rage that yet again,we the tax payers are footing the bill.
the fact that they don't understand why we're so angry makes it worse
It`s not that they don`t understand, they just don`t care. We, the public, are nothing to them.
Her other half Tom Turner runs a supply company that has ‘won’ numerous government contracts, including one for £365 million to provide PPE along with supplies to HM Revenue and Customs and even her father in law got a nice little gig worth £1.1 million to provide DHSC with visors. Needless to say, the Cabinet Office denied any impropriety..
Impunity. Braverman reinstalled at the Home Office just days after being forced to resign/fired. That’s impunity. Absence of punishment.
This is insane. That a pisstake. Get the tories out. And stay out for a long long time ⌛️
Please let's not forget that this is the same Michelle Donelan who got absolutely roasted by Victoria Derbyshire following the Conservative Party Conference in October 2023, because she was defending the shameless lies and bonkers conspiracy theories uttered by her colleagues.
That episode is not nearly as egregious as what James is talking about here, but it's just more evidence that she is a highly dishonest person within a power structure that will never make her answer for her dishonesty and lack of ethics. We however face the consequences and legal costs.
It wasn’t a government statement it was her own personal statement and therefore her bill to pay.
It wasn't just a 'statement', apparently she took action upon those individuals with government agencies without evidence of any kind.
@@biocapsule7311 true. Apparently the government are claiming she got legal advice that said she was ok to do what she did. That sounds like a pack of lies.
Donelan needs to resign over this. Although I'd settle for a May election and her repaying the money to the tax-payer.
@paul So none out of two.
James calm down. We should all by now know to to be shocked by ANYTHING that ANY Tory does. The definition of Tory should be changed in the OED. May i suggest "Tory = Someone with no honesty, integrity morals, or decency".
That goes for Labour, too. and would for the LibDems if they had a chance of getting into power.
@@tiggero6690neither of those are close to as corrupt as tories tho.
torie comes from the irish word for thieves. says it all
@@tiggero6690
That is the most delusional thing I’ve read in weeks, and that includes posts by committed Trump fans… 🫢
Its strange how people conveniently forget the catastrophic damage Blair did
Government of liars and thieves
That is the Tory in a nutshell
Dear James, after 57 years I am thinking how does our democracy is working ? when there’s no evidence for accountability, and justice. Now you gave me the word,( IMPUNITY ) £50 Billions pounds missing and no questions asked, no enquiries, no police questioning the pub landlord. Although he lives in south of France now,thanks to our health minister, accountability, justice and at last our democracy. IMPUNITY.
Im a couple of years younger than you and I'm left realising iv been lied to by every politician iv ever voted for
We don't have democracy in this country.. Let's stop fooling ourselves
After 60 years I'm realising the one thing both Trump and brexit have taught us is that both countries have serious gaping holes in their legal and political systems which allow elected criminals to commit crimes in broad daylight and get away with it
They couldn't care about anyone except themselves and their donors
Just surprised anyone could believe that we live in a democracy.
I don’t understand how this comes as a surprise to people… Boris Johnson’s partygate -legal fee costed the British taxpayers £265,000. If you were silent and haven’t done anything about it then, than keep it calm & keep it going now!
@jnorth Not forgetting the billions spent on Lockdown!
Nobody is surprised, it doesn't make it any less rage inducing.
@@Andrew-ti8hi Exactly! Imagine the ones we don’t know about
I am FEWMIN about this. Why should we pay for her legal mistake?
and that poor professor deserves more than (15k - legal fees) for the BS they went through
No Justice 😢
Boiled mine too James and probably hundreds of thousands of other people too its scandalous. We surely cant allow this to happen ?
The £15k is just the damages. The legal bill has not been published. Time for think tanks to be regulated and forced to follow strict codes of conduct including full funding transparency.
Can you imagine if she said this against Israel, she would have been sacked the day after
And yet they abolished Legal Aid. And that was back as David Cameron.
Wait a tory defrauding the people...... what an absolutely unsurprising event
James O'Brien is an absolute legend - Wish people like him were the premiership for the UK. Sadly if you communicate the truth you have no chance of that.
No he isn't. He's a competent LBC hack. And to be fair he would be the first to admit this.
@Andrew-ti8hi - Take it that you got humiliated when you phoned LBC and spoke to James O'Brien. You've still got a life to lead, buddy.
Why is anyone suprised, they are all grown up yuppies, Maggie would be proud.
I have felt like this since the 70s.
Should have listened to how little Rish, the Prime Miniature, tried to spin this. He basically described Michelle Donalen's comments as 'raised concerns which have now been addressed' or words to that effect. This man really is a piece of work.
Well we all know that from day 1 when he stood outside No. 10 & told us how HIS government would be transparent, accountable , honest blah blah blah. Then re-appointed Cruella B.
We need to get angry about all this!! There IS so much to get angry about! The misinformation out there and the lack of consequences for these people is incomprehensible!! Imagine anyone in a 'normal' job openly accusing a boss or colleague of something like that? You'd be out the door with feet barely touching the floor! And no pay -off, either.
She shouldn't be allowed to get away with this they buried this scandal when the budget was being delivered
Well said James, agree with you all the way. There'a lack of transparency from the Tories which is why they cover for each other.
Think of it: what deterrent is there for other politicians flapping their lips on social media, defaming and insulting anyone? The punishment (?) is paid by the tax-payer, not the person committing the crime.
The worst part for me was Penny Moundant’s defence that Michelle Donelan has respect for public finances, as proven by the fact re didn’t take severance pay, when leaving a ministerial position that she only held for 36 hours.
I don't know what I'm most disheartened by. The use of the public purse once again to pay off private failures, or that she hasn't apologised/resigned/been sacked.
the problem is, is that there are hundreds of stories like this to have broken in the last fourteen years of tory rule.
I don't know when people stop reading these lying tabloids and stop bying their papers and stop voting for those crooks. And they should be having demonstrations and strikes until the tori politicians have no choice but to resign.
Absolutely right. Most people are fatigued by the sheer number of instances of shameful behaviour by this lot. It almost demands too much energy to be angry about every single one, and I'm beginning to think it's a deliberate thing. I'm sick and tired of the injustices, greed, self interest, etc, etc, etc, carried out by the conservatives. They have totally trashed our country.
Heather Brooke fought for access to MPs expenses but was continually denied. The telegraph broke the story because it was leaked to them thanks to a staffer being so angry that what she was working for wasn’t getting released. Heather Brooke deserves the credit over the telegraph
Ts us not forget the very similar case of the tory peer, Baroness Foster and the University Challenge contestant.
It’s ok for everyone to attack Diane Abbott over and over again, but Laura Trott and this latest MP are exempt?
As John Lydon sang, 'anger is an energy' so remain energetic!
She will keep her head down for a week or two then reappear but no journalist will mention the £15k
No shame in being like Jonathon Pie - man is a legend.
Impunity and normalisation. That's what boils my blood.
Every time you think the tories couldn't get any worse . . .
Ten seconds later, here we go again.
That this happened while Sunak's rather curious speech in front of No.10 was still echoing in people's ears makes it even more alarming. I agree with you. I think the gloves are off.
Of course there’s no consequence, no one’s told Rishi what to do.
Would you believe it, her husband's company did land multiple lucrative PPE contracts. What are the chances? 😠
Imagine the gutter press ,Mail etc, running this if it was a Labour MP, they would go nuclear.
Talking about illegal prorogation makes my blood boil. James always forgets the last part: The Tory party changed the law afterwards to make that episode the exception not the rule. Officially it’s now the case that the Supreme Court DID overstep the mark and nothing Boris did should have been called wrong.
Now we can all say it was wrong, but that last part about how they changed the law so they can do it again without being stopped next time shouldn’t be forgotten.
Now, who’s convinced that the legal island of Westminster is redundant?
A number of points come to mind. 1. A former Home Secretary, who is, lest we forget, also a former Home Secretary, tried to get a speeding fine paid for by the taxpayer. A former Prime Minister used taxes to pay his legal fees. This isn’t unusual.
2. There is no honour- no one thinks they have done anything wrong, nor is there is anything to resign over.
3. This is the truth now. She” supports Hamas”, Starmer was “responsible for Saville “ and so it goes.
4. We will forget. And move on. Because we do.
It's been reported that she instructed public servants to dig up dirt on the two who were suing her so that they could smear them.
You havery right to be angry. Politicians contempt for us is infuriating
tories. dont lump others in, they are nowhere near as bad.
@@kanedNunable not true, it’s just O’Brian shields them from scrutiny! And of course, you’re incapable of thinking for yourself. Check out Stùrmer and his membership of the trilateral commission, for starters!
Don't calm down. It is utterly dreadful. Got my goat. Inconceivable.
If a government department has paid Donelan's legal costs for this libel case, then Donelan must have been stating government policy and therefore the government should be the one's to apologise, explain and state why this will not happen again!!!
Just when we thought they can't sink any lower.....
You are absolutely correct James in thinking her husband was the recipient of a lucrative PPE contract
What you missed was that she was actually using her position to put preasure on the university to get the academic fired from their job.
Corruption, these bent politicians are looking after each other. They need to sack her
I just shrug my shoulders now when I hear/ read stories of disgustingly bad behaviour from this supposedly governing party! The reason I do this!?
Because I’m used to it, thats why!
And what about the legal costs ?????????
I always wondered what it would be like to live in a Banana Republic!
Superb as always, James.
James you have always expressed yourself calmly and fairly. Everybody, everybody now and again gets angry, what are they talking about.
The politicians are just a reflection of the type of people in the country. They don't just magically appear. The people like them and voted them in. The country absolutely deserves whatever karma is being handed out right now.
The public are expected to accept the actions of MPs like Michelle Donelan as a casual ongoing liability, a recurring cost, or a regular expense.
Of course, how much do the public know about this scandle? Very little if the Tory client press have anything to do with it.
*Correct, PPE contracts went to her partner's company and to his father's company.*
A personal (non-governmenral) statement made without parliamentary privilege ... any consequencea of that should not be borne by the taxpayer.
If the public pays for this, then M.P.'s can impugn anyone and bear no responsibility.
Its the same as America democrats can do minor things and its blown up to mountains. Let obama do any of the 1 things trump has been accused of and not be in jail. The media listens to the right because its usually the people in power.
Tan Suitgate!!!
Dear Mr O'Brien, I am part Irish myself. Please do not be ashamed of a noble Irish heritage. As for Michelle Donelan? Shabby and shameful. No evidence whatsoever. The taxpayers must pay out for an arrogant Tory liar...
Why should I feel anything for the state of Israel .........or Hamas?
Well said
James, wish you would speak with such vigor and outrage at what the IDF is doing to the Palestinian people.
The first question is, will the predicted massacre of the Tories at the next election result in all the new lunatics and deviants losing their seats and only the sane and respectable ones surviving? The second question is, are there even any sane or respectable Tories left?
And a few months later she loses her seat and no longer an MP. That's Karma.
Something of a low point, even for the most corrupt govt. in UK history.
Impunity!!..and the nod to Pie....thanks to both of you for keeping it REAL...
James, it's the accusation that does the damage , not the truth, for the accused even if found innocent will always be suspected henceforth for unfounded accusation to in fact be a dishonest tool of conquest.
It boils my blood too, but most of what's going on in Westminster makes my blood boil
absolute scandal
Violence is unexpressed anger. Carry on with the anger James.
@dolce And coincidentally great for the ratings. A true professional!
She needs to be removed and she has to pay that bill. Her Husband did do a PPE crime. All that free money that they were funnelled and she gets a free £15K she could have dropped and not missed.
She should pay and be sacked, how the taxpayers have to pay is a disgrace.
Depressingly she's the MP for where I live. She's holding a town hall in a couple of weeks. Will be interesting to see if she shows up and takes questions on this.
she needfs to pay herself the damages she made outside her job.
How do we do an informed vote when the politicians never do what they inform us they will do.
Supposedly the legal action was against the Secretary of State
Shout out to Jonathan Pie! Genius!!
No longer staggering, but expected. It is no longer anticipated, but has arrived.
What’s wrong with tap water?
When we were in the EU, UK tap water met the EU's minimum standard. Who knows what standard it meets now and that even before the consideration of sewerage in our rivers is doing to our potable water supply.
@@Coelacanth1 Perhaps in England, luckily we have a publicity owned water supplier in Scotland 🏴 🥛
Settling IS an admission of liability!
This was not a minister carry out gov't policy and mucking up, this was her own bigoted attack , so she should pay her own bill.
Of course, let’s not forget we paid Bozo’s £260,000+ Partygate defence bill.. as it was a waste of time, can we get our money back under ‘no win, no fee?? ‘
You also had Priti Patel as Home Secretary get confused with millions, thousands and hundreds. But the reporting was lacking by right wing media interestingly enough, who were too busy on Diane Abbot.
Thank you James for rightly being angry because of this story. Tory party is gone beserk
They aren’t scraping the bottom of the barrel anymore. They have burrowed through that, found themselves in another barrel underneath and have scraped the bottom of that one as well. To misquote Terry Pratchett it’s barrels all the way down and they are busy scraping their way through all of them.
Tories never take any responsibility for their actions
There is no accountability in the Tory party. Look at how Peter Bone the disgraced former Tory MP was allowed to chose his partner to stand for his vacated seat, which he had to vacate because of his behaviour and the success of the recall petition. How can it be that not only do they not accept responsibility for their actions, they (MPs) look to make us pay and accept what they say we should have to accept like sheep. Open your eyes and start to hold your local MP to account and so let’s start rebuilding trust from a local perspective.