A prominent Labour activist has been forced to take down from her blog the full text of a letter written by the daughter of suspended Glasgow SNP Councillor Jahangir Hanif after being threatened with legal action. Kezia Dugdale, parliamentary researcher for Lothians MSP George Foulkes, and one of three Labour members short listed for the Glenrothes candidacy, published the material today on her ‘Soap Box’ blog.The purported text of Noor Hanif’s letter has also been removed from Jim Millar’s blog and from SNP Watch, but so far hasn’t been taken down from the Silobreaker automated blog aggregator.
12 September 2008
From Holyrood magazine (also reported in the P&J):
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and your point is? this is not a political football, there are real people involved and it's not our business. let it be or be part of the lowest type of politics that you purport to despise
Zeynep:
In respect of the various criminal and other allegations contained within Noor Hanif's letter, I would broadly agree. Those are matters for the police, and it could, I suppose, be argued that widespread publication could be prejudicial to the presumption of innocence.
But if Noor's claims about the visit to Durra are verifiably true and were known to the SNP disciplinary committee which imposed only a short suspension then that would open them up to entirely legitimate criticism.
I understand that the contents of the letter along with various emails which have been circulating for some time are being investigated by the police after a complaint was made by Cllr Hanif.
Councillor Hanif's press statement referred to the letter containing what he called "defamatory statements". I wondered about that. Are you saying that he has launched a pre-emptive legal strike against his own daughter?
I don't know what legal action he is taking. I only know that emails similar to the material in the letter have already been passed to the police after Jahangir Hanif made a complaint.
I doubt that Cllr Hanif would sue his own daughter for defamation but he could certainly take out an action against people who published material about him which is defamatory.
Kezia Dugdale and the others who posted the letter presumably did so knowing their legal responsibilities. If they did not make any effort to establish if the facts contained in the letter are true then they should have.
Frankly I have no idea what is going on here. There are lots of rumours but few facts. I feel it is best left to the police to investigate given the seriousness of what is alleged.
Thanks for the clarification, and I can certainly agree with your last sentence.
Would or could your Daughter write a letter such as this about you. Perhaps people should be be able to read the contents and judge for themselves whether SNP Councillor Jahangir Hanif is a Good candidate for the snp or any decent political party.
And as for John Masons garbage over the snps morality not extending beyond the borders of scotland and should not apply in another nation. Is beyond absurd a kind of moral relativism gone mad. Does Mr mason regard multiple wife's, the death penalty for homosexuality, Public hanging unacceptable in scotland but perfectly fine in another nation. and to protest such actions is a racist attack.
Mr mason reveals he may have won the Glasgow east by election but Glasgow east has elected a very small man for a seat he is unable to fill.
Scottish Unionist -
You might want to note that posting a link to a website with potentially defamatory material opens your own self up to defamation proceedings.
Thought you might want to know.
I don't believe Google features any such material. But just in case, I can be reached at: scottishunionist AT gmail DOT com.