Panorama journalist Ware accuses pro-Corbyn editor of ‘slithering away’ from court

BBC Panorama journalist John Ware has accused a pro-Jeremy Corbyn editor of “slithering away” from defending a libel case in court – recalling how Paddy French said he would “vigorously defend” claims he made about the programme “Is Labour antisemitic?”

Ware is suing French for £50,000 over a pamphlet titled “Is the BBC anti-Labour?”, which he published via his Press Gang website.

French had claimed Ware’s Panorama programme had been “a piece of rogue journalism that presented just one side of the argument, ignored basic facts and bent the truth to breaking point”.

But after neither the defendant or a representative attended Monday’s hearing in the Royal Courts of Justice, Ware said:”Paddy French has slithered away.

“What he has done is cowardly, take refuge in his farmhouse in the south of France.”

Last month French had suddenly announced his “withdrawal” from defending the libel case.

He had claimed an earlier legal ruling now stopped him using the case as “an opportunity for a forensic examination of antisemitism in the Labour Party while Jeremy Corbyn was leader.”

But legal sources expressed surprise to Jewish News at the “withdrawal” claim suggesting it was tricky for defendants in libel cases to step back from them.

On Monday, in front of Mr Justice Knowles, both Ware and his lawyer William Bennet KC both attacked his claim to have withdrawn from the case.

The BBC journalist said French’s “spin” over his failure to appear in court “already had traction with an organisation called Skwawkbox who appear to have bought his bogus reasons for not being here today.”

Ware added: “I was pretty bewildered, because since the start of these proceedings he had said he would vigorously defend them. So that was a bit of a shock.

“And he said he wasn’t going to contest my claim, which has left me in a bit of a no man’s land because if he isn’t contesting it you would expect him to admit my claim. But he hasn’t, and he hasn’t apologised.”

In addition to seeking around £50, 000 in damages, Ware is seeking an injunction against French repeating an allegation that Ware behaved dishonestly when producing the 2019 BBC Panorama programme “Is Labour antisemitic?”

His pamphlet attacking the July 2019 Panorama episode was sent to over 100 journalists at the time, and February 2021 was found to be “clearly defamatory” by  Mr Justice Saini.

The article carried the meaning that Ware was a “rogue journalist who had engaged in dirty tricks aimed at harming the Labour Party’s chances of winning the General Election by authoring and presenting an edition of Panorama” , said Justice Sani.

It also suggested “he presented a biased and knowingly false presentation of the extent and nature of anti-Semitism within the party, deliberately ignoring contrary evidence.”

KC Bennett also criticised French’s failure to defend himself at trial, saying: “What Mr French is now telling his crowdfunder followers, telling his followers on the Press Gang website, is palpably and provably and demonstrably false.”

By pulling out, Bennett said, the effect was “to cheat Mr Ware of vindication by pretending that he was prevented from mounting the defence he wanted to mount”.

Ware also attacked claims he was helping the Conservative Party with the Panorama.He told the judge  that the month before he had produced an interview with Jennifer Arcuri exploring the honesty of then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Asked by Justice Knowles how much the claim should now be worth, Bennett said: “In excess of £50,000.” Bennett also asked the judge for an injunction against French “repeating the allegations as synthesised by Mr Justice Saini”.

He referred to a press release French sent saying  he is now “producing a full report into the Panorama programme” containing “new material that has yet to see the light of day.”

Knowles reserved judgement, saying he would issue a ruling as soon as he could.

Asked for comment on the new damages sought, French later told Press Gazette: “This case raises serious questions about press freedom in Britain.

“I believe I am the first journalist to be sued by a reporter working for the BBC over criticism of a BBC programme he was involved in making.”