IPSWICH: A former UKIP activist has won a civil action against the party for a breach of confidence involving the video sharing website YouTube.John West, of Spring Lane in Wickham Market, had sought �5,000 for an alleged breach of confidence over the use of a mock television interview.
IPSWICH: A former UKIP activist has won a civil action against the party for a breach of confidence involving the video sharing website YouTube.
John West, of Spring Lane in Wickham Market, had sought �5,000 for an alleged breach of confidence over the use of a mock television interview.
Finding for Mr West, District Judge Bazley White ordered UKIP to pay him �50, while a second action against Annabelle Fuller, a former party press officer, was dismissed.
In documents presented to Ipswich County Court, Mr West said that as part of the process for selecting candidates to fight the European elections, he participated in a mock TV interview in May 2008, designed to test his aptitude for facing the media.
He claimed he was told before the interview took place that the recording would only be seen by the regional interview panel to determine the shortlist from which the regional membership would then select the candidates by postal ballot.
Mr West said: “On July 18, 2008, a copy of the interview was posted on the YouTube internet site with the following script: 'Watch this guy! He wants to stand as an MEP for UKIP, the anti Europe nutters … I wonder if they pick him!!!'.”
Mr West, who at the 2005 General Election contested North Ipswich and Central Suffolk for the party, said after the hearing that he had tried to resolve the matter amicably with party leader Nigel Farage.
“UKIP only has itself to blame for this ruling,” said Mr West, who is now a member of the United Kingdom First Party.
A spokesman for UKIP said: “We accept the decision of the judge and the Information Commissioner, who felt that the technical data, though on a password protected laptop, should also have been encrypted.
“We believe that the �50 judgement from an original claim of �5,000 is a reasonable punishment for our lapse.”
What do you think of the case? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
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