GMB Rejects Appeal: Pete Gregson’s expulsion is final

My appeal failed. See the letter here. I am grateful to LAW, FRFI and others who turned out to support me at the GMB offices, as you see from the picture above. My minutes of the appeal hearing can be read here.

So now I seek to raise a court action.  A Judicial Review (JR). Here a judge will consider the process whereby the GMB has expelled me and will come to a decision as to whether the GMB had acted “reasonably”.

I had originally been advised to try fighting the GMB decision publicly and politically through Liberty and PEN. Over the past 6 weeks I have tried repeatedly to get Liberty and PEN to take note of my position. They ignore me. On the one occasion I was able to get to speak to a Liberty adviser on the phone, she assured me she would pass my email onto the legal and policy Depts. Since then, nothing. To understand why they have adopted this position, you will maybe be interested to read this post in Tony Greenstein’s blog of 9/10/18  I think this explains why I shall get nowhere with Liberty. I imagine PEN has taken the same position.

In terms of fighting it publicly, I think the BBC has put an embargo on my story. I know this through conversations with BBC journalists, both at Xmas when I was first expelled and most recently about Newsnight on Tuesday evening after my appeal. So the only place this matter might be explored would be the courts. I do not think the BBC, Independent, Guardian, Morning Star etc would find it so easy to ignore if there were court action ongoing.

The question arises as to whether the JR should be in Scotland or England? Tony Greenstein thinks Scotland, for that is where my contract with the GMB is based.

I am exploring legal options and will get back to you once the way forward is clearer.

On the night of the hearing I was invited to speak to 30 activists at the KeepTalking group at MAP in Kentish Town; it was filmed and I shall share the video with you soon.

OTHER NEWS

Radio Interview - Richie Allen show

I was on the radio on Thursday afternoon- the internet-based Richie Allen show, which comes from Manchester. I’m on about 20 minutes into the show. Richie Allen, the Irish presenter who makes the show was great: so good to meet a journalist that hasn't been muzzled on Israel. Listen to it here – I’m on for 40 minutes.

Witch-Hunt & Chris Williamson

The Jackie Walker film is due out on You-tube on 17th March. See the trailer here

The reason Chris Williamson MP was suspended was because he had booked a room in Parliament for 4th March to show this film. Quite Predictably, the Jewish News went nuts and demanded- and got- his suspension. Sad, eh? Please sign this petition to get him re-instated.  And this one too.

And let’s get him as deputy leader of the Party, in place of Tom Watson. Sign here for that.

The Independent Group

Ever wonder how the not-very-magnificent 7 got started? Funded by an Israeli millionaire, see more here.

Gaza Killings

The United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in 2018 recenthly presented its findings at UN Geneva. They said: “No Justification for Israel to Shoot Protesters with Live Ammunition”. Read it here

Best wishes,

Pete Gregson