Day 245 - 07 May 96 - Page 37
1 Q. If we just look at document number 9. This is a letter
2 dated 3rd July 1995 from McDonald's Restaurants to George
3 Galloway PM at the House of Commons. It relates to a
4 matter which Mr. Galloway wrote in response to an
5 invitation to visit one of your stores.
6
7 On the second page, the first paragraph on that page says:
8
9 "Consequently faced with the Defendants' refusal to cease
10 publications we have no alternative but to demonstrate
11 publicly that the contents of the leaflet are untrue and
12 seek an injunction restraining them from publishing the
13 allegations further. It has never been our intention to
14 seek damages or to recover cost from the Defendants."
15
16 That is a lie, is it not?
17 A. No, that is not a lie.
18
19 Q. You are seeking damages?
20 A. Well, the court will determine whether or not we are
21 entitled to damages and, if so, what quantity or amount.
22 Again, the second part of the damages issue is whether we
23 in fact choose to go forward and attempt to collect them or
24 not.
25
26 Q. Your Statement of Claim and the Writs state that you are
27 claiming damages and costs, do they not?
28 A. I believe so, yes.
29
30 Q. Yes, so it is completely false -- and they have not been
31 withdrawn, have they?
32 A. No.
33
34 Q. Right. So it is completely false to say it has never been
35 our intention to seek damages or to recover costs from the
36 Defendants?
37 A. Well, it is a matter of semantics again.
38
39 Q. It is a matter of a pack of lies again, is it not?
40 A. No, it is not.
41
42 Q. Are you seeking damages, or do you seek to recover costs
43 from us?
44 A. I seek to win this case, and once it is won and the
45 truth is established, his Lordship will have to decide
46 that.
47
48 Q. As a President of the Second Plaintiff, you are effectively
49 in charge of certainly the case on behalf of the Second
50 Plaintiff, and I believe you have had quite a
51 responsibility on behalf of the First Plaintiff as well.
52 It would be entirely open to you to say that you are not
53 seeking damages and costs if that is your intention, so are
54 you seeking damages and costs?
55
56 MR. JUSTICE BELL: As I understand it, Mr. Preston has said yes,
57 he is, but if there is an award of damages and costs,
58 whether he seeks to execute on the judgment is entirely
59 another matter.
60 A. That is correct, sir.
