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karbon
13-10-2009, 12:18
just in case anyone's not been on twitter.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/alexmassie/5417651/british-press-banned-from-reporting-parliament-seriously.thtml

The Guardian has been prevented from reporting parliamentary proceedings on legal grounds which appear to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights.

Today's published Commons order papers contain a question to be answered by a minister later this week. The Guardian is prevented from identifying the MP who has asked the question, what the question is, which minister might answer it, or where the question is to be found.

The Guardian is also forbidden from telling its readers why the paper is prevented – for the first time in memory – from reporting parliament. Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret.

It's all to do with a company called Trafigura and the dumping of toxic waste in the ivory coast.
http://search.bbc.co.uk/search?q=Trafigura&tab=ns&scope=all&start=2

Mark
13-10-2009, 12:37
Search link doesn't work, but no matter.

Oopsie. Epic PR Fail. How to shine a spotlight on your failings in one easy step - gag the press.

It's even made it to Number 10: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/PressFreedom/

Feek
13-10-2009, 13:06
Tweets are now saying the gag has been lifted.

Mark
13-10-2009, 13:17
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oct/13/guardian-gagged-parliamentary-question

Guardian don't get to have their day in court then (was scheduled for 2PM).

Belmit
13-10-2009, 13:17
Best comment on Twitter from Jason Manford: 'This Guardian gag's not very funny.' :D

Rich_L
13-10-2009, 17:24
Know a fair bit about this, but can't say anything :p

Mark
13-10-2009, 18:09
But you just did, and so did the Guardian. :p

Briggykins
13-10-2009, 18:57
Bit of a stupid move on Trafigura's part isn't it? This probably would have completely passed me by were it not for the gagging angle. Now they've got the unwelcome publicity and the story's out anyway.

karbon
13-10-2009, 20:32
directly copied that search result, whoops. will sort it now.

it worries me most how much may have bypassed us like this in the past due to these things going un-noticed