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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/apr/08/watchdog-dismisses-sir-philip-green-complaint-against-peter-hain
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Watchdog dismisses Sir Philip Green complaint against Peter Hain | Watchdog dismisses Sir Philip Green complaint against Peter Hain |
| (5 months later) | |
| The House of Lords standards watchdog has dismissed a complaint against the former Labour cabinet minister Peter Hain for using parliamentary privilege to name the Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green as the businessman at the centre of harassment allegations. | The House of Lords standards watchdog has dismissed a complaint against the former Labour cabinet minister Peter Hain for using parliamentary privilege to name the Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green as the businessman at the centre of harassment allegations. |
| Lord Hain called the complaint “a malevolent ruse” and said the claim against him was without basis. Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, the House of Lords commissioner for standards, accepted that Hain had decided to take the action on moral grounds, without close examination of the legal circumstances. | Lord Hain called the complaint “a malevolent ruse” and said the claim against him was without basis. Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, the House of Lords commissioner for standards, accepted that Hain had decided to take the action on moral grounds, without close examination of the legal circumstances. |
| Green was named in a dramatic intervention by Hain, after days of speculation over a mystery businessman described by the Daily Telegraph as the subject of multiple sexual harassment and bullying allegations. Green has denied any unlawful behaviour. | Green was named in a dramatic intervention by Hain, after days of speculation over a mystery businessman described by the Daily Telegraph as the subject of multiple sexual harassment and bullying allegations. Green has denied any unlawful behaviour. |
| Hain invoked parliamentary privilege, an ancient right allowing MPs and peers to say what they wish in the parliamentary chambers without being sued for libel, to name Green. | Hain invoked parliamentary privilege, an ancient right allowing MPs and peers to say what they wish in the parliamentary chambers without being sued for libel, to name Green. |
| Hain said the complaint against him had been a distraction from the real issue at hand. “Sir Philip’s complaint always was a malevolent ruse to divert attention from the harassment allegations against him by his employees,” he said. “I’m grateful to the standards commissioner for finding that the complaint was entirely false.” | Hain said the complaint against him had been a distraction from the real issue at hand. “Sir Philip’s complaint always was a malevolent ruse to divert attention from the harassment allegations against him by his employees,” he said. “I’m grateful to the standards commissioner for finding that the complaint was entirely false.” |
| Green criticised Hain for not revealing his links to Ince Gordon Dadds, the law firm that had been working with the Telegraph in its efforts to name him, after it emerged that Hain was a paid adviser. | Green criticised Hain for not revealing his links to Ince Gordon Dadds, the law firm that had been working with the Telegraph in its efforts to name him, after it emerged that Hain was a paid adviser. |
| In her summary of the Hain case, Scott-Moncrieff said the peer had consistently maintained he was unaware of the link and that he had not read the full judgment in the Green case – which had the name of Ince Gordon Dadds on the front page. | In her summary of the Hain case, Scott-Moncrieff said the peer had consistently maintained he was unaware of the link and that he had not read the full judgment in the Green case – which had the name of Ince Gordon Dadds on the front page. |
| “Though it would have been desirable for Lord Hain’s consideration of how to act to have included whether he might have any relevant interests … I accepted his assertion that he had not read the judgment, and was not aware of Ince Gordon Dadds’ role in the legal proceedings,” Scott-Moncrieff said. | “Though it would have been desirable for Lord Hain’s consideration of how to act to have included whether he might have any relevant interests … I accepted his assertion that he had not read the judgment, and was not aware of Ince Gordon Dadds’ role in the legal proceedings,” Scott-Moncrieff said. |
| “It would be unreasonable to censure him for failing to declare an interest of which he was unaware. The complaint is dismissed.” | “It would be unreasonable to censure him for failing to declare an interest of which he was unaware. The complaint is dismissed.” |
| Scott-Moncrieff said that members of the House of Lords should “consider very carefully their actions in the house” and said that applied particularly in delicate cases of parliamentary privileges. | Scott-Moncrieff said that members of the House of Lords should “consider very carefully their actions in the house” and said that applied particularly in delicate cases of parliamentary privileges. |
| “The more specific the matter under discussion and the more an action rests on the privileges and freedoms members of the house enjoy, the greater the need for such careful consideration,” she said. | “The more specific the matter under discussion and the more an action rests on the privileges and freedoms members of the house enjoy, the greater the need for such careful consideration,” she said. |
| The commissioner said that any complaint about the appropriateness of using parliamentary privilege was not within her remit. | The commissioner said that any complaint about the appropriateness of using parliamentary privilege was not within her remit. |
| Green dropped an injunction against the Telegraph in February, after his lawyers argued there was no longer any point in pursuing legal action and a judge agreed to allow him to withdraw it, ordering him to pay the Telegraph’s costs, estimated to be in the region of £3m. | Green dropped an injunction against the Telegraph in February, after his lawyers argued there was no longer any point in pursuing legal action and a judge agreed to allow him to withdraw it, ordering him to pay the Telegraph’s costs, estimated to be in the region of £3m. |
| The paper revealed he was accused of making racist remarks to a black employee, groping female employees and being physically aggressive and abusive towards both male and female members of staff. | The paper revealed he was accused of making racist remarks to a black employee, groping female employees and being physically aggressive and abusive towards both male and female members of staff. |
| Philip Green | |
| Peter Hain | Peter Hain |
| House of Lords | House of Lords |
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