Shami Chakrabarti threatens to sue Andy Burnham after "innuendo" about her friendship with David Davis

A week ago we wondered if David Davis would struggle to keep his campaign in the news.  Thanks to Culture Minister Andy Burnham we needn't have worried.  Mr Burnham is having to back pedal furiously after Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti threatened to sue him for talking about "late night, hand-wringing, heart-melting phone calls" with Mr Davis.  In a letter to Mr Burnham, that the Evening Standard's Paul Waugh has published, she writes:

"By your comments you debase not only a great office of state but the vital debate about fundamental rights and freedoms in this country. Indeed you seem reluctant to engage in that debate except in this tawdry fashion.  I look forward to your written apology as I'm sure does Mrs Davis. If on the other hand you choose to continue down the path of innuendo and attempted character assassination, you will find that the privileged legal protection of the parliament chamber does not extend to slurs made in the wider public domain."

Two Tory women MPs and the LibDems' Lynne Featherstone have joined the protests against Mr Burnham's remarks:

Justine Greening; "Shami has worked with MPs of all parties to raise the concerns she has. She is completely driven but incredibly professional."

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Equalities spokeswoman, says: "Shami's fight for civil liberties is unimpeachable. Any many who thinks that it is okay to speak like that and claim it is political knock-about clearly hasn't understood the women's movement."

Shadow Justice minister Eleanor Laing says: "This sinks politics to a new low. If David Davis had had late-night talks with a man that would have been seen as part of the old-boys network but as soon as a woman is involved, there is this appalling innuendo."

Comments

[Alexander King]

Oh God, Shami Chakrabarti is back on her high horse.

[Aurora Borealis]

So DD might be having an affair with Shami, he might not be having an affair with Shami...frankly does anyone apart from Mrs D really care?

[sjm]

Alexander, how dreadful, a woman speaks up in defence of her reputation, my word, we'll be wanting the vote next!

[Oberon Houston]

What does Harman think?

Surely she wouldn't miss an opportunity to comment on a womens rights issue.....

[Treacle]

Bingo!

Alexander King misses the point again

Speak out against this wretched government and they will trash you, that's unacceptable and we should defend all who are picked on in this way.

[Walter West]

Andy Burnham might have thought he was being funny and lighthearted, but I think he went a bit too far.

Having a go at David Davis is one thing, but to imply what he was implying was entirely different - and wrong.

[Sam Bowman]

So, in Shami Chakrabarti's world, the law should be protecting the right of to roam the streets freely and stopping individuals from making statements that may or may not be true? To threaten to sue over that comment is utterly pathetic.

[Louise Bagshawe]

labour MP Diane Abbott has condemned Burnham too. So it's all-party.

[Alexander King]

Andy Burnham is just having a laugh. I find his comments hilarious. And frankly, they needed saying. We've heard enough of Chakrabarti's pious lecturing to last us a decade.

If Shami Chakrabarti can't handle the rough and tumble of public life, then she shouldn't be in public life.

Well done, Andy Burnham, for puncturing her self-regarding bubble.

[Walter West]

There is a difference between 'puncturing her self-regarding bubble' and making wild allegations to smear someone.

[Bob Grant]

Shami's just getting paranoid.
On 2nd October last year the Telegraph did a round up of the most influential people on the right. It contained the following paragraph re Chakrabarti and it is only gossipy if you have a suspicious frame of mind.

“She, more than anyone, has influenced Conservative civil liberties policies. If there’s a Home Office you can be sure her advice will be sought by both David Davis and Nick Clegg. She is a huge influence on Davis in particular.”

She never complained about that, did she?
She just needs a thicker skin.

[Alexander King]

Frankly, David Davis would be mad to go there anyway.

PART OF COMMENT OVERWRITTEN.

[Ay up]

Burnham did voice a common worry about how close those two are - he seems to be in her pocket politically. Liberty have often been on the wrong side of security issues.

[Walter West]

If he had said "David Davis has joined Shami Chakrabati in being on the wrong side of the security argument" that would have been fine. I wouldn't have agreed with him, because I tend to think that Liberty are right more often than the government but it would have been 'fair comment'.
Implying that they are having an affair is just not on - or fair.

[Sally Roberts]

Oh come off it, Alexander King - she is an attractive woman - or do you believe a woman is only attractive if she resembles Jessica Rabbit?!

[RichardJ]

Methinks Ms C has had a sense of humour failure. Anyone with half a brain can see the comment was meant in jest. Strike her off the dinner party guest list, she'd be rubbish at banter.

[Louise]

Its a sign of how willing this government are to smear people who disagree with them. Their first attack on David Davis implied a nasty streak of homophobia, now this. I don't blame Shami Chakrabarti for threatening legal action. Defending free speech does not preclude objecting to potentially slanderous comments.

[Imogen Brodie]

So much for Liberty Shami..... Hows about protecting free speech!!!

[Jennifer Wells]

I agree with imogen. I'm unimpressed with Shami's rush to the courts.