Tory ex-treasurer to sue Sunday Times


by Sunny Hundal    
7:16 pm - July 25th 2012

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Lord Ashcroft, writing on ConservativeHome today, has the extraordinary revelation that Peter Cruddas – the former Tory Treasurer – is suing the Sunday Times.

Peter Cruddas was forced to ‘resign’ from the party after a Sunday Times revelations that showed him talking about access to the Prime Minister.

He is apparently seeking “unlimited” damages.

This will be embarrassing for Cameron since Rupert Murdoch will have to fund those damages if Cruddas wins.

Mr Cruddas has filed a claim in the High Court against Times Newspapers Ltd and two journalists from the paper, Jonathan Calvert and Heidi Blake. He is seeking unlimited damages, including aggravated damages, for libel and malicious falsehood, along with an injunction preventing the newspaper from repeating its allegations. The news offers an opportunity to examine whether the party behaved appropriately when the story broke in March.
…
At a stroke, the huge contribution Mr Cruddas had made to the Conservative Party was forgotten. This is hugely regrettable. He has been an extremely generous supporter over many years, with both his time and money. Between 2009 and March 2012 he gave over £1 million to the party. He agreed at short notice to be Treasurer of the ‘No to AV’ campaign, to which he donated another £630,000 – more than a fifth of the total amount raised. Through the Peter Cruddas Foundation he has donated enormous sums to charity, including substantial amounts to causes close to the Prime Minister’s heart. He has given over £500,000 to a think tank in the interests of helpful political research.
…
In the days after his resignation, Mr Cruddas deserved to be bowled over by a torrent of letters, emails and calls thanking him for his immense contribution to the party. Instead he heard himself castigated by senior Tories who will be forced to eat their words – and perhaps even consult their own lawyers – if he wins his case against the newspaper that set him up.

This is going to be messy.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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  1. Craig Bradley

    Surprised this wasn't bigger news today: Tory ex-treasurer stung by Sunday Times suing for "unlinmited" damages http://t.co/2w1K1iqV

  2. Brian Tomkinson

    Surprised this wasn't bigger news today: Tory ex-treasurer stung by Sunday Times suing for "unlinmited" damages http://t.co/2w1K1iqV

  3. Bryan Collier

    Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/V5ibhGnr

  4. jbw

    Surprised this wasn't bigger news today: Tory ex-treasurer stung by Sunday Times suing for "unlinmited" damages http://t.co/2w1K1iqV

  5. Miss Mac

    Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages http://t.co/ZHcNRNQq

  6. leftlinks

    Liberal Conspiracy – Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages http://t.co/aLDqAe3C

  7. elaineky2

    Liberal Conspiracy – Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages http://t.co/aLDqAe3C

  8. Tim

    Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/YbgVhgK1 via @libcon

  9. Purbeck Pashmina

    Cruddas vs Times, Murdoch to pay? " @libcon: Tory ex-treasurer suing Sunday Times for unlimited damages http://t.co/HzKMJR5h”

  10. wbmedia

    If Peter Cruddas successfully sues Sunday Times, would newspapers be more unwilling to do stings? http://t.co/2w1K1iqV





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