Former MP Tim Yeo loses Sunday Times cash claim libel bid

Former Conservative MP Tim Yeo has lost his libel case against The Sunday Times over a "cash for advocacy" claim. 

Tim Yeo, South Suffolk MP from 1983 to 2015, claimed his reputation had been "trashed" by three articles in 2013. 

The newspaper alleged he breached parliamentary codes of conduct by telling reporters he could promote business concerns in return for cash, the High Court heard.

It suggested Mr Yeo, 70, would approach ministers for a daily fee of £7,000.

Representing Mr Yeo at a week-long trial, Desmond Browne QC said his client was quite unjustifiably tarred with the same brush as another MP who had been exposed a week before.

But in Wednesday's High Court ruling, Judge Mr Justice Warby said he found some of Mr Yeo's evidence "utterly implausible" and, overall, he did not present "convincingly".

Martin Ivens, editor of The Sunday Times, said the decision was "a victory for investigative journalism". 

He added: "It vindicates the role of the press in exposing the clandestine advocacy by MPs for undisclosed interests."

Undercover journalists

The articles had stemmed from a lunch Mr Yeo had had with two undercover journalists who posed as representatives of a solar energy concern in the Far East.

They alleged that Mr Yeo - then chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee - was prepared to, and had offered to, act as a paid parliamentary advocate who would push for new laws to benefit the business of a client.

They also contained comment to the effect that he had shown willing to abuse his position to further his own financial and business interests.

Mr Browne said the Sunday Times acted in numerous respects "with a singular lack of responsibility both at the journalistic and the editorial level".

He added: "Mr Yeo was the unfortunate victim of that irresponsibility. 

"He says that in his last years of service as an MP, his reputation was trashed."

'Evidence was untrue'

Dismissing the case, Mr Justice Warby said he was unable to accept Mr Yeo's evidence that he was unable to remember an email which mentioned a "generous remuneration package".

"I can think of none who convincingly claim to have no interest in money, yet end up with an annual income in excess of £200,000," the judge said.

"I do not consider that Mr Yeo is such a person. In my judgment this evidence was untrue. 

"I am not persuaded that it was honest either."

Times Newspapers Ltd said the articles were true, fair comment and responsible journalism on matters of public interest.

Gavin Millar QC, for Times Newspapers, said: "The day after the lunch the claimant, a very experienced parliamentarian, admitted that he had been aware at the meeting that it was being proposed that he undertake lobbying activities which were incompatible with his public office."

According to the newspaper, Mr Yeo has agreed to pay its legal fees of £411,000.

Source: BBC News 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1Lzs7tU
via IFTTT

Press Release : Cap:App Public Launch Tomorrow.

Jobs – as we build up our PR campaign and promote to passengers you will start to see jobs appear. The ‘boxing bell’ lets you know there’s a Hail Now nearby. For Pre-bookings tap on the icon to see all pre-book jobs.

Driver Ownership – cab:app has created a trade owned app and we already have 3,870 drivers who’ve earned free cashback, which can be redeemed for cash or converted to shares in cab:app. In early December we will launch our ‘cabbie crowdfunding’ to enable drivers and the taxi trade to own more of cab:app as we continue to invest in technology and PR to expand.

Charity Partners – in addition to helping drivers and passengers, cab:app aims to help charities. We’re delighted to announce our launch partners in the UK are Action for Children, Barnardo’s, Target Ovarian Cancer and Penny for London. In Ireland, we’re working with the children’s hospice LauraLynn and the Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association.

Update your app – from end of day Wed 25th November, please download the latest iOS and Android driver apps from the link http://ift.tt/1Sk0877 to accept jobs and the new features for passengers e.g. PayPal payment option, loyalty vouchers on longer journeys.

How it works - to help drivers get started Peter has created some short videos to explain the key features. Click to view http://j.mp/1R6gIc3

Cab:pay changes - in addition to pre-registering cards for jobs we have just added PayPal as a payment option to give passengers more choice. Combined with our new chip and pin device (which goes contactless from January) cab:app provides drivers with the cheapest, fastest payment solution on the market.

One of our competitors has directly contacted Visa to stop drivers using the manual option for processing Visa cards, which delayed our launch.Going forward we have agreed with Visa that drivers will only use the ‘Send Link’ feature to email or SMS the payment page to the passenger’s mobile device to enter their Visa card details. 

Please view the ‘Send Link’ video http://j.mp/1R6gIc5 if easier you can always order a chip and pin from the ‘Promotions’ section of the driver app. For drivers taking payments from corporate accounts ‘not present’ in the cab you can also login to the website payment page to take all card payments https://cabapp.io/login

Thank you to everyone in advance for your support and patience, as the long term success of cab:app will ultimately be determined by drivers. 

cab:app Team 

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1Sk2v9T
via IFTTT

Uber labelled 'seedy backstreet minicab firm' by senior MP Ian Wright.

Private hire firm Uber was today accused of being “a seedy backstreet minicab firm” by a senior MP.

Business Committee chair Iain Wright said a promotion in France offering passengers the chance to book a “hot chick” driver meant Uber was running a “carry on cabbie” service.

The firm has already apologised for the promotion from its Lyon office’s website which began with the question “who said women don’t know how to drive?”

Uber’s UK head of policy Andrew Byrne told MPs today the promotion had been “ill judged” and unrelated to the British operation.

The Uber executive had been called before a hearing of the Business Committee investigating the digital economy.

Mr Wright said to him: “Uber were offering to set up passengers with ‘hot chick’ drivers. You’re just a seedy backstreet minicab firm, aren’t you?

“This is not disruptive technology, this is ‘carry on cabbie’.” 

He went on: “In terms of the worst excesses of minicab principles. This is not something we want on the streets of Britain is it.”

Mr Byrne responded: “Certainly what happened in Lyon was a completely ill judged marketing stunt, and is nothing to do with the operations in the UK.”

He explained that the company had over a million customers in London and had created some 20,000 jobs for drivers.

He went on: “That’s something that is really genuinely positive and that is a contribution we’ve made to the city London and we hope to bring to other cities around the UK.”

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1NrRh5k
via IFTTT

Questions on the numbers of London PHVs and defining plying for hire, in parliament yesterday

       Jim Fitzpatrick (Lab)........Andrew Jones (Con)

In Parliament yesterday, Jim Fitzpatrick Labour, Poplar and Limehouse, asked the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of private hire vehicles illegally plying for hire.

The question was answered by Andrew Jones, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport).

He said "the Government is responsible for the legislative structure within which local licensing authorities deliver the licensing regime for taxis and private hire vehicles. Enforcement of the licensing regime, including ensuring that private hire vehicles do not illegally ply for hire, is therefore a matter for local licensing authorities and the police"

Jim Fitzpatrick Then asked the Under Secretary, "what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on introducing a statutory definition of plying for hire in the taxi and private hire vehicle industry".

Andrew Jones replied:

"As part of the process of considering all the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report on reforming taxi and private hire vehicle legislation, my Department is continuing to discuss the proposals with colleagues in other Government departments.

The Government will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions in due course."

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1lHdfoy
via IFTTT

Going By TfLs Record On Security, How Safe Do You Feel, Driving Your Taxi Round The Capital?

Wanted In Connection With One Million Person Genocide, but judged fit to be a minicab driver by TfL.

In 2012 Taxi Leaks exposed a story of a Mr M Hakizimana, 41, alleged by the UK Border Agency's War Crimes Unit, to have helped Hutu soldiers kill civilian members of the Tutsi ethnic group during a million person genocide in 1994.

Home office were aware of this man for a number of years and his past would have been flagged up on any CRB check. 

Yet under Sir Peter Hendy's and LTPH's Director John Mason's watch, this man was judged a fit and proper person to hold a Private Hire Licence.

A national newspaper, reported he was working for a private hire operator in East London. 

As far as we know he is still wanted for war crimes and could still be driving a minicab around the capital.

Taliban Fighter Judged Fit To Be Minicab Driver By TfL

Also in 2012, a Taliban fighter in Dhani-Ghorri in northern Afghanistan, renounced for their improvised explosive devices (car Bombs), told the Guardian newspaper he lived most of the time in east London, but came back to Afghanistan for three months every year for combat.

"I work as a minicab driver," said the man, who has the rank of a mid-level Taliban commander. "I make good money there (in the UK), you know.

These are just two of the worse cases, we believe there are many more.

Statement From Helen Chapman :

"EVERY APPLICANT FOR A PH DRIVERS LICENCE HAS UNDERGONE A FULL DBS CHECK."

But, how do you carry out an enhanced DBS check on someone who has only been in the country for a matter of months? The simple answer is...you can't.

We are informed that applicants who have lived in another country for longer than 12 months in the last 3 years have to provide a letter of good conduct from that country. 

It's also been alleged that these letters can be purchased by anyone in police stations in India for as little as $300

Freedom Of Information :

 Our researcher recently carried out a freedom of information request on the number of applicants, needing this type of letter, who have applied for a PH drivers licence in a six mouth period.

These are the details:

In the six months April to September 2015, there were 564 applicants who were licensed after providing such a letter.

Every day, every night, thousands of PHVs are left unabated outside mainline termini, government buildings, concert halls, hotels and restaurants. 

Unbelievably laxed security at St Pancras where minicabs are allowed to park, double park, for hours at a time.

With the countries security level currently on SEVERE, do you believe TfL are doing enough to safeguard the citizens of our capital from terrorist attack ? 

         HOW LONG BEFORE THIS THREAT 

                   BECOMES A REALITY

  

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1X9fGAX
via IFTTT

Boris's Cycling Chief Wrongly Calls LBC Reporter 'Liar'

This is the remarkable moment that Boris Johnson's cycling chief snapped and called LBC's reporter a liar in a row over the cycle superhighway.

Reporter Theo Usherwood was at the new cycle superhighway in Vauxhall and noted that 40% of cyclists weren't using it, riding on the road instead.

But when Nick Ferrari put that to London's cycling commissioner Andrew Gilligan, he fumed: "That report I've just heard is a complete lie. I think he is quite clearly lying."  

Theo hit back, insisting that his numbers were actually a conservative estimate. 

    WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY 

Source: LBC.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1MM6TLl
via IFTTT

In Parliament This Week : What Do They Know...Written Answers.

Written Answers - Home Office: Taxis: Arrests (18 Nov 2015)

Jim Fitzpatrick Labour, Poplar and Limehouse.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many private hire vehicle drivers have been arrested in (a) London and (b) the UK for offences related to plying for hire in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: Minister of State, the Home Department, ministry of justice. 

The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of private hire vehicle drivers arrested.

Written Answers - Department for Transport: Taxis: Wheelchairs (20 Nov 2015)

Daniel Zeichner Shadow Minister (Transport).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of (a) Uber vehicles, (b) black cabs and (c) private hire vehicles are wheelchair accessible.

Andrew JonesParliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport).

The results of the Department’s taxi survey in 2015 showed that 58% of all taxis (Hackney Carriages) in England are wheelchair accessible. All 22,500 London taxis are wheelchair accessible as required by Transport for London’s ‘Conditions for Fitness’ taxi licensing policy. 175 authorities (61%) require wheelchair accessible vehicles in all or part of their taxi fleet.

We do not keep comprehensive statistics on the number of wheelchair accessible private hirevehicles, including those operated by Uber or any other private hire operators. However we do welcome initiatives by such operators to improve the service they provide to those who need additional assistance.

Daniel Zeichner Shadow Minister (Transport).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he intends to implement a single consolidated legislative framework for taxis throughout England and Wales.

Andrew JonesParliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport).

A single legislative framework for taxis and private hire vehicles throughout England and Wales was one of the recommendations of the Law Commission following their comprehensive review of taxi and private hire legislation.

The Government is continuing to consider the Law Commission’s report in its entirety and in line with the protocol that exists between the Government and the Law Commission, the Government will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions in due course

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1laSbGq
via IFTTT