At the High Court today the following joint statement was agreed.
On 29 April 2016, Jake Wallis Simons and Craig Murray appeared together on Sky News to debate anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom. Following that debate, Dr Wallis Simons issued libel proceedings against Mr Murray. Dr Wallis Simons and Mr Murray have now settled these proceedings.
By this statement, Mr Murray accepts that Dr Wallis Simons is not a liar, and Dr Wallis Simons accepts that Mr Murray is not an anti-Semite. They are both pleased to have resolved this dispute amicably.
I am genuinely happy with this outcome, which would never have been remotely possible without the incredible 5,000 plus people who donated to my defence fund and enabled me to be represented by a top legal team. It continues to be my view that the libel laws are appalling – had I lost the case I was very definitely looking at a cost of £350,000 plus.
I am also very grateful to the band of readers of this blog who arrived to support me, and in the end saw very little. When invited to open the case the other side immediately asked for an adjournment to discuss a settlement. The hour of delay which followed was occupied on our side almost entirely by my agonising over whether it was morally acceptable for me to agree this statement and use the defence fund to pay my lawyers, or whether those who donated did so in the expectation I would fight the case whatever.
There were a number of supporters at hand who had donated, many of whom were personally previously unknown to me, and the opinions I could canvass were unanimously that this was a good result and a good use of their money.
Having agreed to settle in this way, I have arrived at this following decision. If anybody who donated feels they have been unduly sold out, please let me know through the contact button above and your donation will be refunded to you.
When we started the defence fund, our “realistic” projection was a total of £12,000. That we eventually raised over £100,000 is astonishing. Equally astonishing, but in a bad way, is that my own legal team’s cost almost amounts to that – I will publish full accounts in due course. After all is settled and refunds issued to those who wish, if anything is left over I propose to split it between Andy Wightman’s defence fund and Neil Clark’s case against Oliver Kamm. Again please do let me know if you object. It’s actually your money not mine.
I did not realise how this has been weighing me down, until the threat has been lifted today. I have never claimed to be entirely without fault, and I would ask you to refrain from any comment here which detracts from the amicable spirit of the joint statement. It is a time for celebration not recrimination, and please confine any rudeness to remarks about me.
As per usual, a lawyers’ paradise.
Craig – you can keep my small donation! I so want to see neil win his fight against that dreadful Kam creature, however I think many here will agree that you deserve to keep any remainder there might beso you can take you poor long suffering family on a nice holiday somewhere!
All the best and I’m extremely happy for you!
The fiver that I sent you is yours to do with as you please, and if you have any sense it will go towards your beer fund. God knows you need to sink a few after all this. That said, Neil Clark is a good man and a mate of mine to boot, so if you prefer to contribute the leavings of your fund to him or anyone else, that is fine as well.
Congratulations!
Deagh naidheachd dha-rìribh. Delighted for you.
Personally, I am simply delighted that this is over and that the outcome is acceptable to you. It gives me pleasure to know that my small contribution has helped with this and that, furthermore, you will sleep tonight without this hanging over you.
I’m sure that, if there is money left, you can be trusted to find a good use for it.
Good result. So glad this is over for you. You did the right thing.
So happy that this is resolved to your satisfaction, Craig. Hope you can now move forward, invogorated by the removal of the burden of stress, worry and unfairness of the situation. Quite content for you to dispose of any surplus from your fighting fund as you see fit – and that includes a decent bottle of malt to help you and yours relax and raise a mellow glass or two to the future!
I would not be surprised that (assuming he was too dense to figure it out on his own) the plaintiff’s lawyers tactfully suggested to Dr Simons that should he pursue this issue he ran a risk of appearing to be a mean spirited bully picking an unnecessary and unjustified fight. Furthermore should he win a judgement, he ran the further risk of making a martyr out of Craig (who is clearly not an anti-Semite) while at the same time bringing even more (favourable) attention to Craig and the causes he champions. That’s my guess anyway.
Craig, I am happy to leave in your hands the decision as to how best to dispose of whatever remains of my donation.
@Silvio – it’s all guesswork. For all we know, some government figure or propagandist may have had a word with the judge who then saw both sides’ lawyers in his chambers and told them he was “minded” to give whichever side was least keen on agreeing a settlement a bloody hard rap on the knuckles. Remember what’s been in the news with Priti Patel. The government view that as a negative, not a positive. At this precise time they may not want the courts to be viewed as bending over backwards to help Zionist aggressors, in what for them is a small, easily disposed of case. Just a thought. Pure speculation.
Spot on,
N
No worries Craig. When I donated to your defence fund it was to ensure you received a proper defence against our disgraceful libel laws. I really didn’t care what tactics you and your defence might choose. It was simply to get you out of this nonsense and back to your desk and incendiary essays! 😉
Congratulations for this amicable outcome.
With the money you’ve got left, perhaps you can spend a tiny bit on getting yourself a more agreeable homepage template…
Congratulations. As an earlier poster said, “litigation is always uncertain.” All the more so when the odds are stacked in favour of the establishment.
Glad that I was able to help in some small way. Thoroughly support how you handled the unfortunate situation. Similarly support how you propose to handle any surplus should there be one.
Will raise a glass or two to your health, your good fortunate and the continuance of this blog.
The outcome means a lot to many of us. Enjoy a lang caal glessy or twa on me & mine Craig.
Best wishes Craig I know only too well how expensive going to court is and what a strain it can be. You are hugely important to the Yes Movement and Yessers are the best supporters anyone can have.
This is a relief. I’m really pleased for you. I ‘m happy for any left-over money to be given to these 2 other legal cases (neither of which I was previously aware of).
Its heartening that so many people have stood with you.
I hope you still have enough energy to keep producing the excellent blog pieces.
I had only intended to donate if you lost and needed bailing out. Not having done so, you may think I have the cheek of the devil in suggesting you hang on to any spare, and donate to an organisation that campaigns against english libel laws as they stand. Even as a nationalist scot, that must tickle your fancy.
In the here and now, I have just opened an 18 year old Bunnahabhain single…_
Congratulations! I like your idea for the remainder of the fund, two very worthwhile causes.
I’m glad your ordeal is over and am happy with your proposals for any residue from the fund.
Please keep whatever I donated and use it as you see fit. I am delighted for you that it is over.
Very pleased about your good result.
Good result. Treat you and your loved ones to a relaxing celebration. Thank you for doing your bit and raising standards.
Glad it’s over.
Shouldn’t the Plaintiff’s be penalized for wasting yours and the Courts time given what you say they ” immediately asked for an adjournment to discuss a settlement” and that you can sue them for the psychological attack they launched on you?
Are the Judges oblivious to the points you raise about the libel laws being improperly used?
I never expected to get anything back Craig and I’m glad that both parties were able to come to an agreement. I trust you on the choice of cause anything left over can go to. Maybe we should all agree to donate £ 5,- to the Scottish Arts Council.
There is a niggling suspicion that says you would have won, but, they would have been able to throw money at it until you bleed, so you did the safe thing.
There ought to be a beer named at next years DTRH,
…..to remember, remember the 7th. of November…
slantje
Always better to make friends not enemies, don’t you agree? Craig is always, if nothing else, diplomatic. 😉
If the ten or twenty quid I donated (can’t remember now) helped buy at least a bit of peace of mind when having to deal with what many would regard as a vexatious claimm, then that’s money well spent. And I am totally fine with anything left over being passed onto Andy Wightman’s and Neil Clark’s case funds.
Glad to hear that. Happy for you. Relax and celebrate.
Sláinte Craig! A good result. And here’s to successful outcomes for Andy Wightman and Neil Clark. Enjoy your evening.
Sleep well.
I think I donated £20. Please use it to help Neil put that odious little creature, Kamm, firmly back in his cave. Delighted that this weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
A small price to pay for the good name of one of our own ???
Please support Andy Wightman’s defence fund For anyone who doesn’t know, his holistic work showing the relationship land law and ownership has with housing, health, education and inequality is vitally important to the people of Scotland and UK by extension, so to lose him as a Scottish Green MSP would be a terrible thing.
Well done my man. An excellent result.