Carter-Ruck, Bell Pottinger

The Guardian reports that Peter Bottomley MP is to report solicitors Carter-Ruck to the Law Society over its attempt to prevent the newspaper reporting the proceedings of Parliament. The paper also has a piece on Carter-Ruck and its developing niche in reputation management, in collaboration in this case with PR firm Bell Pottinger.

What is clear is that if you have done something very bad and want to stop the truth coming out, Carter-Ruck and Bell Pottinger are the people to ensure that justice is done and the truth comes out.

Carter Ruck goes much, much, much too far

The notorious law firm Carter-Ruck specialises in protecting rich clients and big companies from the glare of publicity through libel actions and the threat of them, not to mention all-encompassing super-injunctions.

The Guardian is reporting this afternoon that Carter-Ruck has now dropped an injunction, which it gained last night, which prevented it reporting a parliamentary question revealing that Carter-Ruck had obtained an earlier injunction to cover-up oil trader Trafigura's outrageous behaviour in having toxic waste dumped in the Ivory Coast.

Yes, that's right. A judge actually granted an injunction that prevented a newspaper reporting the proceedings of Parliament. It is not clear which action is the most shameful, Carter-Ruck's attempt to challenge one of the basic freedoms of our democracy or the judge's decision to back them.