Mermaids vs LGB Alliance and Charity Commissioner - First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) Thread 3

[nauticant]

The Tribunal started on 9 September, witness testimony started on 12 September.

To obtain access to view the proceedings, send a request email to [email protected] about case CA/2021/0013 - Mermaids vs Charity Commissioner and LGB Alliance and ask for permission to join. You then have to provide certain information and agree to a judge's direction in order to be able to join.

There is also live tweeting from twitter.com/tribunaltweets.

Abbreviations:

J or judge: Presiding Judge, Judge Lynn Griffin
AJ or Judge: Assisted by Judge Joe Neville
MG: Mermaids counsel is Michael Gibbon KC
KM: LGB Alliance counsel is Karon Monaghan KC
AR: Karon is assisted by Akua Reindorf
IS: Charity Commission counsel is Iain Steele

(Also the witnesses, PR: Paul Roberts, JN: John Nicolson. BB: Belinda Bell, BJ: Beverley Jackson, KH: Kate Harris, and EG: Eileen Gallagher.)

Thread 1: mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4629679-mermaids-versus-lgb-alliance-in-court-today
Thread 2: mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4632780-mermaids-vs-lgb-alliance-and-charity-commissioner-first-tier-tribunal-general-regulatory-chameber-thread-2
Thread 3: ongoing

Witnesses for the applicant (Mermaids):

Paul Roberts - CEO of LGBT Consortium (12 September)
John Nicolson MP - Deputy Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global LGBT+ Rights (13 September)
Dr Belinda Bell - Chair of trustees of Mermaids (13 September)

Witnesses for the respondent (LGB Alliance):

Beverley Jackson - Co-founder and trustee of LGB Alliance (13-14 September)
Kate Harris - Co-founder and trustee of LGB Alliance (14-15 September)
Eileen Gallagher OBE - Chair of trustees of LGB Alliance (15 September)

Witness Statements:

Paul Roberts: lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Paul-Roberts-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf
John Nicolson MP - lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/John-Nicolson-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf
Dr Belinda Bell: lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Belinda-Bell-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf
Beverley Jackson: lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Bev-Jackson-Witness-Statement-Exhibits-1.pdf
Kate Harris: lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Kate-Harris-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf
Eileen Gallagher (two statements): lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Eileen-Gallagher-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Eileen-Gallagher-Second-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf

Submissions:

lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Volume-4-Submissions-CA.2021.0013.pdf

(Header format follows the gold standard established by @ickky)

post updated by MNHQ at OP's request

Thank you @Ameanstreakamilewide

Kate Harris Witness Statement

lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Kate-Harris-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf

Great that KM is putting the 'no LGB folx in the LGBA' nonsense to bed...

KH doing a good job here of painting Nicolson MP as someone who isn't too concerned about being factually correct when he's talking about an opponent.

Btw The Mess were in are having an episode about this today at 5. #I'm not an expert but it 's gonna be freaking hilarious!

KH saying Mr Nicholson often gives inaccurate information and giving egs. Says there is a pattern of JN lying about LGBA. Barrister goes a bit quiet and sounds flustered. Says allegation of lying a serious matter.

Was the KH accusing JN of lying in court? Hmm. That wasn't the best line to take.

Go Kate!

I don't think KH was distinguishing between giving untrue information in good faith/without due diligence and lying, which might have softened that a bit.

I’ve got a screen record of it.

I can’t believe they’ve been so reckless.

Well actually, I can believe it!

I can email the video file if necessary (or perhaps upload it somewhere else online)

She's not pulling any punches is she? I don't know if it was the wisest course of action but then again I'm still agog at how measured BJ managed to remain. I'd have been sweeping microphones off desks in sheer frustration at the absolute nonsense.

Fantastic use of "guilty as charged" by KH in a court room.

I know it was KH's choice of word, but it just occurred to me - 'stroppy' is another one of those words that only ever seems to apply to women, isn't it?

Great 'looking for courage' reply to the 'stroppy' tweet.

Fantastic way to describe the abuse and silencing on social media and elsewhere. The courage required to simply state that biological sex is a exists. It's almost easy to forget that only a few years ago, not one newspaper would report any of this.

Is anyone else having difficulty finding the afternoon hearing on tribunal tweets..? Could someone kindly post a link please? TIA

twitter.com/tribunaltweets/status/1570054258262937600

Many thanks

The link to tribunaltweets in the OP is broken.

I don't understand. MG now saying beliefs are not relevant to this case. So why is he asking all the witnesses to clarify what they believe?

MG still pushing the line that if a charity has "political" objects, in the broad sense of campaigning in support of what they believe is right, then that charity should not be registered.

The implications of that for charities would be vast.

and especially for Stonewall

An organisation that is purely for political campaigns/ purposes can not have charitable status

www.gov.uk/government/publications/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities-cc9/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities

But surely Mermaids also campaign and lobby? Significant number of charities do. This line of questioning does not make sense.