Miranda Grell
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Miranda Agnes Jayne Grell (born June 1978) is a former Labour party politician and councillor for the London Borough of Waltham Forest. She was the first person to be found guilty of making false statements under the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Grell studied European Studies with Modern Languages at the University of Manchester, gaining a First Class Honours, and took a Master's degree in Industrial Relations from the London School of Economics. At the time she stood in the local election, she worked as a Senior Policy Advisor to the conciliation service Acas. Following her election to Waltham Forest council, she then went to work as a researcher for the former Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron[1]. She served on the management committee of the think tank Compass from June 2005 until her resignation from the committee in December 2007.
Grell won a seat in the May 2006 local elections on an unexpectedly large swing from the Liberal Democrats in a split result for the Leyton ward of Waltham Forest.[2] However, in September 2007, she went on trial on charges under the Representation of the People Act 1983 of making a false statement of fact about a candidate's personal character or conduct for electoral advantage, specifically that she made allegations of paedophilia against her gay Liberal Democrat opponent, Barry Smith.[3] Witnesses against her included her Labour running mate, Nicholas Russell.[4] On 21 September 2007, she was found guilty on two counts and fined.[5]
On 24 October 2007, Grell's supporters launched a campaign to finance her appeal[6] but it was then reported that the Labour Party would pay her legal costs.[1] On 27 November, The Independent newspaper quoted a party spokesman: "Following legal advice in the last few days, the Labour Party today withdrew its support for Miranda Grell's appeal."[7] Criticism has been levelled at the party for supporting Grell's appeal, in particular by Peter Tatchell.[8][7][9]
Grell's appeal hearing began on 28 November 2007 at Snaresbrook Crown Court before Judge Peter Birts QC and two lay magistrates. On 30 November, Grell’s conviction for making false statements about another candidate to gain electoral advantage was upheld.[10][11] She vacates her seat and is banned from holding public office for three years.[12][13] The by-election for Leyton ward on 14 February 2008 was won by Liberal Democrat Winnie Smith.[14]
Following the appeal verdict, Grell resigned from the Labour party, her job working for the Deputy Mayor of London and from the Compass management committee, but still pleaded her innocence.[15] Six months after the loss of her appeal, she continued to maintain her innocence[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Labour backs shamed councillor
- ^ Results for Leyton and Wanstead Wards
- ^ Grell to fight on after losing sex slur case
- ^ Witnesses claim Labour activist called Lib Dem a paedophile
- ^ Labour rising star found guilty of smearing her election rival
- ^ 'Justice for Leyton Ward' campaign website
- ^ a b Fees trapeze
- ^ The case for a fair fight
- ^ Councillor appeals against gay slur conviction
- ^ "Councillor loses appeal"
- ^ Slur councillor loses her appeal (BBC)
- ^ Councillor slurred election rival
- ^ Sex smear councillor's "political career over"
- ^ By-election Result
- ^ Statement on Grell's website
[edit] External links
- Homepage
- Waltham Forest council page
- Initial Times article on court case
- Article on case's conclusion
- Legal appeal campaign "Justice for Leyton Ward"
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