Select Committee on Standards and Privileges First Report


APPENDIX 89

Letter from Mr Richard Ferguson QC to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

  I have returned all my papers in the case of Ian Greer and Neil Hamilton against The Guardian. Therefore I have to give this account from memory and without the opportunity of checking it.

  On Thursday 26 September 1996 and Friday 27 September I had conferences in my Chambers with my Junior - Ms Victoria Sharp, my solicitor and Mr and Mrs Hamilton. Mr Hamilton was appraised of the most recent disclosures in the ongoing discovery affecting Mr Greer's claim. These seemed to indicate that Mr Greer had underestimated the extent of his payments to MPs and might well have misled the Parliamentary Committee. Both Mr and Mrs Hamilton were outraged at what they regarded as a culpable lack of frankness by Mr Greer. They took the view that he had seriously jeopardised their prospects of success. They were extremely annoyed that they had been encouraged to proceed with the litigation ignorant of these matters. They expressed their disgust in very strong terms. It seemed to me that the strength of their feelings and the manner in which they expressed them made it impossible to continue to represent both clients. I expressed this concern to my solicitor. He was in complete agreement.

  Instructions were withdrawn. In effect this meant we could take no further part in the proceedings. As it happened I was requested to continue to act as a conduit pipe so far as any negotiations were concerned. As a precautionary measure I sought the assistance of the Bar Council as to the circumstances in which I could continue to act for one Plaintiff in the event of such a request being made. I must make it absolutely clear that there was no question of anything being revealed to me which I was asked to conceal from the defendant's lawyers.

Richard Ferguson

QC 13 March 1997



 
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Prepared 8 July 1997