Unsightly Vehicles And Threats Of Defamation

EDM number 953 in 2004-05, proposed by Gordon Prentice on 17/03/2005.

That this House applauds the editor of the Nelson Leader, Roy Prenton, for his decision to publish an article on 28th January drawing attention to the scourge of abandoned cars in Pendle; notes that the story carried a photograph of a Mercedes with the caption, `Dumped: A once luxurious Mercedes is now a disgrace on the streets of Pendle'; further notes that the owner, Barrowford lawyer, J.P. Croasdale, considers the article defamatory on the grounds that the car is not abandoned but is awaiting restoration and, although he is not named, many people in the village know he is the owner of this wreck of a Mercedes; further notes with incredulity that J.P. Croasdale has contacted the Editor and the honourable Member for Pendle citing the Defamation Act 1996 and claiming the article has lowered him in the estimation of normal right thinking people and has exposed him to hatred, contempt or ridicule and because of the implication of criminal activities could cause him to be shunned or avoided; considers this to be lawyerly bluster that frightens no-one; believes that he should do his restoration in a garage out of public sight and not on a strip of open private land adjoining the major road through Barrowford; and further believes that the Government should seek to amend the Clean Neighbourhoods Bill to close this loophole of dangerous, unsightly wrecks being allowed to blight the visual amenity of neighbourhoods while their owners shelter behind the excuse that the vehicle in question is lawfully parked on private land.

This motion has been signed by a total of 24 MPs.