Trafigura's gag backfires.
Trafigura's gag backfires.
It's no laughing matter, it's no gag, Trafigura tried to gag the British press and Parliament!
Trafigura hit the headlines last week, after it tried to stop the Guardian from reporting on a Commons question.
Admitedly, the question by MP Paul Farrelly related to the leaking of a fairly damning report on the Probo Koala slops (the Minton report).
Trafigura' lawyers, the "libel specialists" Carter-Ruck, proceeded to secure a "super injunction" in an attempt to prevent the leading newspapers from reporting on the question, who had tabled it,
what it was about AND from saying that it had been prevented to do its job.
To find out more about this, have a look at the Guardian's web site for example (http://browse.guardian.co.uk/search?search=Trafigura&sitesearch-radio=guardian&go-guardian=Search). The Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sitesearch.do?x=0&y=0&query=Trafigura&turnOffGoogleAds=false&submitStatus=searchFormSubmitted&mode=simple§ionId=674),
the Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/search/index.jsp?eceExpr=Trafigura) and the
Spectator (http://www.spectator.co.uk/search/search.thtml?search=Trafigura) were also
targeted. Another interesting visit is Naylor's website (http://www.davidnaylor.co.uk/the-guardian-gagged-by-carter-ruck-solicitors-fail.html). Alternatively, for a bit of light relief on the firm, take a look at Private Eye's
website (http://www.private-eye.co.uk/blog/?p=126).
A public debate in the Commons is announced for next Wednesday on the issue of contempt of Parliament.
What we must bear in mind is that GDE is the French branch of the Trafigura group, and that it was their owner, Claude Dauphin, who urged his staff to "be creative" in finding solutions to dispose
of the Probo Koala waste.
Is that the sort of neighbours we want?