Hacked Off chief hired by Paradise Papers firm

THE head of the campaign group behind the House of Lords vote for tighter media controls has been hired to represent the offshore law firm at the centre of the Paradise Papers controversy.

Hugh Tomlinson QC is the chairman of Hacked Off, which helped to draw up a series of amendments – designed to muzzle the Press – which were voted in by peers last week.

He has now been hired by Appleby, the law firm suing the BBC and the Guardian for ‘breach of confidence’ after they published secrets from the so-called Paradise Papers. The trove of 13million documents helped to lift the lid on tax Media and Technology Editor avoidance by some of the world’s best-known figures, in an exposé widely praised as an exemplary piece of public-interest journalism.

However, Appleby is now seeking a permanent injunction to stop anyone from publishing further information based on the leaked documents.

According to the so-called ‘cab rank rule’, barristers are obliged to take instructions from clients regardless of who they are, as long as the barrister has the time and expertise to work for them. But Mr Tomlinson’s appointment has raised eyebrows, given it sets the QC up in open opposition to a piece of journalism widely recognised for its public-interest credentials.

Baroness Hollins, who tabled one of the controversial amendments the House of Lords has backed, told The Times that Hacked Off contributed research and advice, but Mr Tomlinson was not involved himself.

The Paradise Papers were obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which shared them with 95 outlets worldwide. It has not revealed its source, but Appleby claims the documents were stolen by hackers, adding: ‘This case is... (about) breach of confidentiality including most importantly in legally privileged documents.’

HOW richly ironic that the head of Hacked Off – a body which claims to support public interest journalism despite lobbying for greater restrictions on Press freedom – should be working for the offshore law firm suing the Guardian over a legitimate and highly praised probe into tax avoidance.

Hacked Off’s chairman Hugh Tomlinson, QC, is representing legal firm Appleby in its attempt to block publication of further leaks from the so-called Paradise Papers which detail the tax affairs of wealthy clients including Lewis Hamilton and the Queen.

Appleby is also seeking a similar injunction against the BBC.

Hacked Off enthusiastically supported amendments to the Data Protection Bill forcing newspapers which don’t kowtow to a state-approved regulator to pay all the costs in legal actions, even if they win.

Opponents argue that its campaign to shackle the Press will be used as a charter by the rich and powerful who want to shut down legitimate investigation into their affairs.

The fact that Appleby has hired Mr Tomlinson rather proves the point.