The director of public prosecutions is appealing to the supreme court in an ongoing and expensive battle to overturn the acquittal of two protesters found to have acted reasonably in calling Iain Duncan Smith “Tory scum”.
The unusual move will add to the cost to the public purse of a case that Lord Justice Popplewell, who heard the case at the high court, has said has already taken up “significant and substantial legal resources”.
Tim Worstall thinks this is the system working as it should to establish legal precedent. I think it's a shocking waste of our money, and a poll of people in the street would be quicker and cheaper. What say you, Reader?
I think its the establishment class protecting themselves. If we the masses can call Tories scum, all politicians are fair game, not just Tories. Even the political nomenklatura in the Civil Service might have to accept the same treatment, and that would never do.......
ReplyDeleteBetter chance of getting a finding against a protester from the SC than in primary legislation in Parliament.
ReplyDeleteTim Worstall himself makes the point it's "mere vulgar abuse" as defined in existing case law. If so, there is surely no need for the DPP to keep pushing it ... except as Sobers mentioned, the establishment don't like it. So, they are spending our money and wasting the courts' time in a, hopefully futile, attempt to protect themselves.
ReplyDelete"I think its the establishment class protecting themselves."
ReplyDeleteThey always do...
"Better chance of getting a finding against a protester from the SC than in primary legislation in Parliament."
Good point!
"....in a, hopefully futile, attempt to protect themselves."
I predict they'll lose again. I really hope so too!