The English Democrat Party

The English Democrat Party keep threatening to sue Chris Lightfoot for defamation because he was rude about them. I noted from their contact page that they 'support the principle of free speech'. So I sent them an email them to ask about it.


From pete@ex-parrot.com Tue Jun  8 09:48:25 2004
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 11:05:43 +0100 (BST)
From: Pete Stevens <pete@ex-parrot.com>
To: enquiries@englishdemocrats.org.uk
Bcc: chris@ex-parrot.com
Subject: Freedom of speech.

Dear English Democrat Party,

I note from your contact page

http://www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/contact.html

you state that

"The English Democrast support the principle of freedom of speech"


I would like to know how you reconcile this statement with your well
documented multiple legal threats to sue Chris Lightfoot for giving his
unfavourable opinion of your party.

See :

http://www.ex-parrot.com/~chris/wwwitter/20040602-more_threats.html
http://www.ex-parrot.com/~chris/wwwitter/20040601-how_to_send_an_email.html
http://www.ex-parrot.com/~chris/wwwitter/20040531-progress_and_the_unreasonable_man.html


Secondly, if I publically described your party as having a tendancy to
barratry, would you attempt to sue me?

Yours,


Pete Stevens
--
Pete Stevens
pete@ex-parrot.com
http://www.ex-parrot.com/~pete/

They sent me this reply.



From HartlandS@aol.com Tue Jun  8 09:48:48 2004
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 06:11:52 EDT
From: HartlandS@aol.com
To: pete@ex-parrot.com
Subject: Freedom of Speech

The law of defamation is an important part of the law relating to freedom
of speech. Simply because we support English liberties, such as free
speech, does not mean we support general licence to tell lies. 

As for "barraty" - a good word - which I had to look up, as I suspect you
did!  Naturally if you make untrue accusations against us individually or
collectively we shall "consider our legal options".

Robin Tilbrook
Chairman
English Demcrats Party


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