GLP are going after Sarah Philmore and are going to lose

[fromorbit]

Get the popcorn folks. GLP is getting ready to lose again.

They are going after barrister Sarah Phillimore for referring to a man as a man. They think they are going to lawfare her into silence.

Her blog:

Here we are now: Entertain us
I have had now 7 years and counting of the various tactics used to 'silence' those who won't comply with prevailing orthodoxy. How are those tactics holding up?
https://sarahphillimore.substack.com/p/here-we-are-now-entertain-us?

The only thing is other TAs have already tried this on Phillimore multiple times. They went to the Bar Council their claims were dismissed. They all failed. More to the point this ‘Kate’ is the same guy complaining again who already failed. Sarah Phillimore knows the law and likes explaining it to TAs and making them lose. So she doesn't even resent the attempt.

As Sarah has stated "They pick on someone who not only enjoys this but has now a vast repository of knowledge about the law in this area."

Sarah Phillimore

Because I don’t tweet as a public body, an employer or provider of goods or services. I am not subject to the Equality Act. I tweet as a private individual and I will say again. You can’t change sex. A man cannot be a woman. I cannot be compelled to call a man a woman.

A trans identifying man such as ‘Kate’ who frequently takes to the public stage to urge violence against women and declare his intent to enter women’s spaces, is a dangerous man and one who will attract public comment.

Follow the fun on X
https://x.com/SVPhillimore

And luckily she is far too canny to fall for his pathetic attempts at manipulation 😄

And still very proud of those pictures - which had been happily shared on his public SM accounts.

From Feb 2025 (I have marked it as sensitive image for those not wanting to reach for the brain bleach again).

'We are also grateful for support from Avaaz, Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, Lund Trust, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin, Necessity, 38 Degrees, and Dale Vince, CEO of Ecotricity.'

'Our executive director is not paid more than a backbench MP in the UK. Our highest salary is never more than three times our lowest. Our current pay ratio is 2.78.'

https://goodlawproject.org/about/governance-and-funding/

'The basic annual salary for an MP from 1 April 2025 is £93,904.'

https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/

So a wee modest mere £93k salary for Mr Maugham, I expect?

I see Ben Whur was at Stonewall, previously.

https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/stonewall-reveals-next-chief-executive/governance/article/1878490

There's been increasing scrutiny of the GLP's set up. This from 2022:

https://thecritic.co.uk/bad-law-project/

'There is an urgent need for better discipline around those who seek to exploit emotional responses to raise money for legal cases of dubious quality, underpinned by regulation if necessary. Be honest upfront about what you want and your chances of success – or at least be honest about what happens after you lose. These are significant sums raised from the desire of individuals to ‘make a difference’ and there is a responsibility on such organisations to recognise this.
Because it’s not just money received from crowdfunders that enriches the Good Law Project As the Labour Pains blog notes, the GLP “receives substantial sums in regular and one-off donations”. According to statements filed with Companies House in April 2021, “the GLP received £1,136,155 in such direct donations, and another £225,504 in grants”. '

The author of this piece was one Sarah Phillimore. I'm sure it's sheer coincidence that they're now going after a woman who has asked questions about their finances.

Her requests are very reasonable. However if Maugham complies they will be utterly humiliated. Lets see what GLP do now.

Prediction

He will back down (has no option not too really) but it will be framed as big bully JKR using her wealth to fund hatred and harassment of trans people and their allies. Please give us more money anyway, Kthxbye.

What a curious coincidence............

Because Jolyon and his GLP are going to Sarah's regulator and trying to fuck with her ability to earn a living. She does actually have to do something about that, not only this particular attempt but to prevent them trying it again in the future.

It's not the same as JKR who not only has enough money never to work again but also doesn't have a professional standards board to answer to if she wants to keep going in her job.

A thought occurs re the defamation issue. If maugham refuses to delete and apologise, this could end up in court. So would Maugham have to produce Sophie Molly as a witness to support the defence of the statements he made.

That would be gold, for us, but i think pretty awful for Sophie Molly who i cant imagine would fair well under cross examination

Sarah is another of Fate's precious gifts to our movement.

Would probably yell though a megaphone about his persecution and be dragged out for contempt of court.

A lot of what Sophie Molly does himself could land him in court.

I think putting Molly on the stand would be more than fair given his harassment of Sarah and the expectation that she might have to stand up in court.

Quite. The most difficult part would be narrowing down the selection of Mollys tweets Sarah's team might want to raise in court.

Sophie Molly has been a political candidate (never been voted in anywhere as far as I know?) Political representatives need to be able to stand up to questioning, and if he can't do that, well he should give up now.

There's another photo doing the rounds which makes the point about how you should be careful about who you let take photos of you and that it's possibly not a good idea to post them on the internet.

You need brain bleach.

I wonder if our friend will send a cease and desist to Glinner now?

But I still think @DuesToTheDirt has a point in that whilst the caption was intended as sarcasm, no actual woman would a) post a photo of themselves in a public loo and b) reference destroying women’s rights. It just wouldn’t occur to us to do so. To my mind, this still shows a real awareness of his transgression against women.

For those of you not keeping up with Molly's claims of suicide, here's a handy little summary of some of those tweets someone has kindly put together for your convenience.

I am beginning to think that Molly thinks taking a single paracetamol for a headache is a suicide attempt.

Sorry, antihistamines. I forgot it was an antihistamine overdose.

Clearly took two instead of one for hay fever.

That’s pretty much once a month for three months in a row.

I’m surprised nobody suggested a wee stay in Cornhill and a social media detox.

I don't know, I still can't get over GLP appointing Laurie Penny as their "writer in residence".

They might identify as a serious organisation, but they're not showing any signs of acting like one.

Really? I didn't know that.

Quite.

Any judge presented with this is going to take one look at it, and immediately decide Molly is an attention seeking grifter who makes up shit for social media clicks.

More than that it looks very much like this is straying into false accusations, if Molly is accusing multiple people of causing him to be driven to attempt suicide all in the same time frame.

Can you sue for false accusations in the UK?
False allegations meaning in UK law extend far beyond simple defamatory statements. They encompass any deliberately fabricated claims made to authorities, law enforcement, or other parties that could trigger legal consequences or disciplinary actions. While traditional civil defamation addresses reputational damage through libel and slander, false accusations can also constitute criminal offenses under the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. These include serious crimes such as perversion of course of justice, wasting police time, and malicious communications

When can you make a claim against false accusations in the UK?
Taking legal action against false allegations becomes legitimate in several key scenarios. These include when accusations have caused provable damage to reputation, resulted in financial losses, led to job termination, triggered unfounded police investigations, or caused significant emotional distress. The law particularly recognizes cases where accusations were made maliciously or with reckless disregard for truth, especially in situations involving domestic disputes, professional misconduct claims, or safeguarding allegations.
[My bold]

False allegations that can form the basis of legal action in UK courts include:

Malicious communications spreading false accusations via email, social media, or messaging platforms.
Sexual misconduct allegations including false claims of rape, assault, or harassment requiring specialized legal support.
False accusations in family court proceedings or custody disputes, particularly involving child welfare or domestic situations.
Professional misconduct claims through false reports to employers or regulatory bodies affecting careers and livelihoods. [My bold]
Fabricated evidence including manipulated documents, altered communications, or staged situations to support false claims.
Vexatious complaints involving repeated unfounded claims to authorities or institutions designed to harass or cause distress. [My bold]

What legal remedies are available for false accusations?
In the UK, individuals being falsely accused have access to various legal remedies designed to stop the accusations, restore their reputation, and recover damages. Understanding these options helps in crafting an effective legal strategy when someone makes false accusations against you:

Civil legal actions: Under civil litigation, victims of false allegations can pursue several remedies simultaneously. The primary action is usually a defamation claim, which addresses damage to reputation. However, depending on the circumstances, you might also have grounds for malicious prosecution, abuse of process, or harassment claims. [My bold] Each pathway offers distinct advantages and requires different evidence to support how to prove false allegations.
Protective court orders: When false accusations made against me pose an ongoing threat, court intervention through protective injunctions can prevent further harm. These orders can stop the accuser from repeating the allegations, require removal of online content, or prohibit them from contacting your employer or associates. For cases involving false allegations UK, courts can also issue non-molestation orders or restraining directives to provide comprehensive protection.
Criminal law options: In severe cases where false allegations involve deliberate deception of authorities, criminal proceedings may be initiated. The Crown Prosecution Service can pursue charges for perverting the course of justice, wasting police time, or malicious communications. While you cannot directly prosecute these offenses, providing evidence to law enforcement can lead to criminal sanctions against the false accuser.

What compensation can you claim for false accusations?
In false allegations cases, UK courts recognize the devastating financial and personal impact on victims. The compensation awarded aims to restore both financial losses and address the psychological toll when false allegations made against me disrupt life, career, and reputation.

General damages: General damages address the intangible harm caused by false allegations. These typically cover reputational damage, emotional distress, and loss of social standing. For instance, false accusations affecting professional reputation might warrant compensation between £10,000 and £100,000. In cases where you need to sue for false allegations UK, additional compensation for psychiatric harm or anxiety disorders may range from £5,000 to £50,000.
Special damages: Courts also award compensation for quantifiable financial losses. This includes lost earnings, business opportunities, and legal defence costs. When someone makes false accusations against you that result in job loss, compensation might cover both immediate salary losses and future career damage. Professional rehabilitation costs, such as PR services or career counselling, may also be recoverable.

Hmm. Interesting.

https://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/criminal-law-information/coercive-control-and-the-law/
It is the job of the police to investigate any reports of coercive control and gather evidence. You may be able to help the police by providing copies of emails, text messages or voicemail recordings, photographs of injuries or damage to property. You may be able to evidence financial abuse by showing your bank statements or you may have kept a diary of your day to day experiences. You may be able to show that you have lost contact with friends and family members, left your employment or withdrawn from clubs and other activities. Your medical records may show that your abuser accompanies you to appointments. It is common for abusers to make or threaten to make false allegations about their victims to the police, social services and immigration authorities or to friends and family. These threats are part of the coercive control and you can also report these threats to the police. [My bold]

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-intimate-or-family-relationship
Building on examples within the Statutory Guidance Framework, relevant behaviour of the suspect can include:

isolating a person from their friends and family
depriving them of their basic needs
monitoring their time
monitoring a person via online communication tools or using spyware
using digital systems such as smart devices or social media to coerce, control, or upset the victim including posting triggering material
taking control over aspects of their everyday life, such as where they can go, who they can see, what to wear and when they can sleep – this can be intertwined with the suspect saying it is in their best interests, and ‘rewarding’ ‘good behaviour’ e.g. with gifts
depriving them of access to support services, such as specialist support or medical services
repeatedly putting them down such as telling them they are worthless
enforcing rules and activity which humiliate, degrade or dehumanise the victim
forcing the victim to take part in criminal activity such as shoplifting, neglect or abuse of children to encourage self-blame and prevent disclosure to authorities
economic abuse including coerced debt, controlling spending/bank accounts/investments/mortgages/benefit payments
controlling the ability to go to school or place of study
taking wages, benefits or allowances
threatening to hurt or kill
threatening to harm a child
threatening to reveal or publish private information
threatening to hurt or physically harming a family pet
assault
physical intimidation e.g. blocking doors, clenching or shaking fists
criminal damage (such as destruction of household goods)
preventing a person from having access to transport or from working
preventing a person from learning or using a language or making friends outside of their ethnic or cultural background
family ‘dishonour’
reputational damage
sexual assault or threats of sexual assault
reproductive coercion, including restricting a victim’s access to birth control, refusing to use a birth control method, forced pregnancy, forcing a victim to get an abortion, to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or other procedure, or denying access to such a procedure
using substances such as alcohol or drugs to control a victim through dependency, or controlling their access to substances
disclosure of sexual orientation
disclosure of HIV status or other medical condition without consent
limiting access to family, friends and finances
withholding and/or destruction of the victim’s immigration documents, e.g. passports and visas
threatening to place the victim in an institution against the victim’s will, e.g. care home, supported living facility, mental health facility, etc (particularly for disabled or elderly victims [my bold]

This is not an exhaustive list, just examples - the last is an example of using authority against a victim. This refers to statutory guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-statutory-guidance-framework/controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-statutory-guidance-framework-accessible#section-6-post-separation-abuse-related-harms-offences-and-other-forms-of-domestic-abuse

124. Perpetrators of domestic abuse may also target and undermine parents’ relationships with their children, using power and control dynamics, for example making vexatious applications to the family court to prolong proceedings and using child arrangements and child maintenance to control the victim.

It then goes on further below that

Case study: Laura
After a decade of marriage and three children, Darren continued to harass Laura after their separation and subsequent divorce. The harassment got increasingly worse so Laura got a non-molestation order against Darren. When Darren breached the order, he was arrested and told a harassment warning could be issued against him. Laura also complained to the police about the economic abuse she experienced after separating but found that the police took no further action as they lacked the powers at the time.

Darren made false allegations about Laura’s income, so she regularly had to prove her expenditure relating to wages, childcare etc. Darren had taken credit cards out in Laura’s name and home address after he had left. All her payments were stopped for several months, before being reinstated and backdated. Darren made false child abuse allegations to social services and the police causing Laura to be interviewed by police under caution. This could have a significant impact on Laura’s career given that she works with vulnerable children and she feared it would affect any Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) results restricting her from future employment and income.

I can't for the life of me find the guidance I've seen before which explicitly states, making false allegations to authorities using police (I have seen it previously) but you should be able to see from the above women's aid information and the cps it clearly falls into the same category and false allegations and using authorities against a victim definitely would be a clear example using the above information.

This link uses these examples:
https://safelives.org.uk/about-domestic-abuse/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/
threatening suicide/homicide/familicide (for example making the threat: “if I can’t have you, no one can” – giving the victim cause to believe they will act on this)
using a victim’s insecure immigration status to threaten deportation, destroying immigration documents etc
making false allegations to family members, religious groups or the local community to damage reputation
manipulating information given to professionals and agencies, such as GPs or the police

Unfortunately it doesn't take you long to also find zillions of solicitors with websites to defend against coercive control who list 'making false allegations of abuse to the police' as an example of coercive control in response though too.