We are today attending the virtual hearing for #AllisonBailey’s claim against Stonewall & Garden Court Chambers.
Discussions on redactions in papers.

Ben Cooper QC for @BluskyeAllison arguing against redactions.

#AllisonBailey
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper trying to establish communications between individuals at Stonewall & individuals at Garden Court Chambers. Arguing names of individuals is relevant and they put in public domain.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White arguing private Facebook group is not public domain.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC discussing individuals who had made complaints to Garden Court Chambers. Discussion is can these individuals be publicly named or should they be redacted in papers. These individuals have connections with Stonewall.
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout asking what relevance these identities have to today’s hearing.
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout asking if individuals are members of Stonewall’s trans advisory group.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White confirming that the three individuals under discussion ARE members of Stonewall’s trans advisory group. They have assisted Stonewall but are not employees. RMW saying their names should not be public domain.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC these individuals roles are important. It’s not normal to redact names. There is a public interest in public justice.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White why should these individuals be put in public domain?
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout, we will take a short break and reconvene with decision at 11.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC and Robin Moira White making final points.

Judge Stout talking about importance of open justice.
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout: For this hearing only I have decided that the three individuals will remain redacted
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout: Stonewall has not produced evidence to show that principal of open justice should be discarded. If this was a full hearing my judgement would be different.
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout: If their names were made public their article 8 rights would be impacted. Order of redaction only for this hearing. May be different at full hearing.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC: question re should Miss Khan give evidence.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC: We only received Mr Johnston’s skeleton argument on Monday.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: Only this week has claimant received application to strike out. Disclosure has yet to be completed. Some things are still redacted which shouldn’t be.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: I shouldn’t be expected to cross examine without preparation.
#allisonbailey

Judge Stout: Are you saying you haven’t had a chance to respond?
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: I can’t begin to embark on cross examination in a hearing of this kind. There isn’t the time. It would be a 2-3 day exercise. Please rule she can’t be called at this time.
#allisonbailey

Anthony Johnston: Claimant has still not named those she accuses of discrimination/victimisation. Do these individuals have authority to act for chambers. Wants Miss Khan called.
#allisonbailey

Judge Stout: If Miss Khan was called, she would have to be cross examined.
#AllisonBailey

We are experiencing sound issues.

Discussion on strike out continues.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: some of Miss Khan’s evidence is hearsay.
#allisonbailey

Judge Stout: I don’t think calling Miss Khan and having her cross examined would assist me in what I need to decide on today.
#allisonbailey

Judge Stout: There would not be a fair opportunity to test Miss Khan’s evidence today. Disclosure has not been completed. Application to call Miss Khan today denied.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: Until disclosure has been completed it may not be possible for claimant to set out all protagonists.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: This hearing is about whether the core pleaded statements have more than no chance of success.
#allisonbailey

Sound issues are ongoing. Apologies for disjointed tweeting.
#allisonbailey

We have lost sound completely. Apologies.
#allisonbailey

Still discussing the fact that claimant has not named individuals who discriminated at this stage (unable to name all individuals without disclosure being completed).

Sound still intermittent.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC is taking the judge through the bundle.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC talking about collective action of the chambers against the claimant (@BluskyeAllison), withholding work during 2019.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: Gender critical beliefs held/expressed by claimant are those held by a women’s movement of female feminists. Indirect discrimination on grounds of sex, also on grounds of sexual orientation, many that hold these beliefs are lesbians.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC: Did Stonewall induce, instruct or cause the discrimination against the claimant?
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: I will be demonstrating this case is way beyond the strikeout threshold.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC is reading from an email sent by @BluskyeAllison in December 2018 objecting to Garden Court Chambers association with Stonewall due to them breaching Equality Act.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: reading from redacted email, only person named from chambers at this stage is Michelle Brewer
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: It is the claimants case that through the membership of the Stonewall diversity champion programme, Stonewall enforced its views on Garden Court Chambers
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC going through claimants loss of earnings since openly expressing gender critical views
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: Stephen Lui (SP?) is the Barrister who was liaising with Stonewall re what Garden Court Chambers could offer re Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC showing evidence that Michelle Brewer was acting in a Garden Court Chambers capacity and not an individual practitioner capacity.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC speaking about WhatsApp messages discussing claimant, can see which is Michelle Brewer but not who all others are. Language towards claimant @BluskyeAllison is described as ‘fruity’
#allisonbailey

Judge Stout asking if employees of Garden Court Chambers (in the marketing department?) have been redacted.
#allisonbailey

Ongoing discussion between Ben Cooper QC and Judge Stout re who are the redacted individuals in Michelle Brewers text/WhatsApp messages. Are they members of Garden Court Chambers?
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC explains that #TERF is a derogatory term used to describe someone with claimants (@BluskyeAllison’s) beliefs
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: plainly nonsense, as can be seen from texts, that Garden Court Chambers didn’t realise that putting out a tweet was ‘making a public statement’
#allisonbailey

Discussion re how longer different counsels will need to speak for. Who will we hear from this afternoon and who tomorrow.

Breaking for lunch. Will resume at 2.
#allisonbailey

Hearing resumed.

Ben Cooper QC still going through papers with Judge Stout.

Emails are heavily redacted. Some of the emails may be by Michelle Brewer.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: redacted email from someone in chambers addresses someone named Judy (presumed to be Miss Khan head of chambers)
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC discussing email sent by Michelle Brewer externally (recipient redacted) discussing how to deal with claimants tweets.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: people who appear to be closely connected with Stonewall appear to be liaising with Michelle Brewer re how to censure @BluskyeAllison
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: complaints have gone to unpublished clerks email addresses. Inference is someone inside Garden Court Chambers colluded with complaints
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC emails show explicit threat that if Garden Court Chambers don’t expel claimant (@BluskyeAllison) Stonewall will sever ties causing reputational damage
#Allison Bailey

Ben Cooper QC: describing widely held beliefs as ‘bigoted’ is inherently discriminatory.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: It is explicitly the complaint from Stonewall that becomes the focus of Garden Court Chambers investigation.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: claimant says complaint from Stonewall is discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation & philosophical belief.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC talking about cotton ceiling and that calling someone a bigot is coercion ie a lesbian being called ‘transphobic’ for not wanting to have sex with a woman with a penis.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC talking about tweets @BluskyeAllison sent which are the subject of the complaint.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC still going through claimants evidence. Alex sharpe often uses slur #TERF online
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: claimants belief that Stonewalls labelling of people with gender critical beliefs as ‘bigots’ has resulted in serious abuse.
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout asking for clarification on what page of bundle certain quotes are on
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC going through papers on articles of association. Were members acting as agents for Garden Court Chambers.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: 1) claimant was subjected to hostility due to her PC’s and beliefs
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC: 2) evidence of communication between chambers and stonewall.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: 3) Did these communications influence decisions
#allisonbailey

Technical difficulties again.
#allisonbailey

Ben Cooper QC: It doesn’t matter if the detriment to the claimant is different to the inducement
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout asking who the service contract was with. (Chambers or Ltd company)

Ben Cooper QC saying it doesn’t matter.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC saying it cannot be disputed that the inducement to discriminate against the claimant came from Stonewall. Redacting of emails proves it knew this was inappropriate.
#AllisonBailey

Ben Cooper QC questions to be asked re if Michelle Brewer was acting on behalf of chambers or as an individual when liaising with Stonewall. Was Brewer acting as an agent of chambers?
#AllisonBailey

Discussion between Ben Cooper QC and Judge Stout over which section to use. Are individuals liable as individuals or as agents of Garden Court Chambers?
#AllisonBailey

Judge Stout, short break then we will hear from Mr Johnston. Don’t want to go much past 4 o’clock. Return tomorrow.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White querying if a victimisation claim has been left in pleadings in error? Mr Cooper will take instructions before tomorrow.
#AllisonBailey

Hearing resuming.

We are waiting for Robin Moira White who has suffered a power cut.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White still trying to dial in. Other participants also experiencing technical difficulties.
#AllisonBailey

Please also see thread from @ALLIANCELGB who are also here and live tweeting.
#AllisonBailey

Robin Moira White has been unable to dial back in. Hearing will resume tomorrow at 9.30 am.
#AllisonBailey

Thank you to everybody who has followed today, apologies for technical difficulties and disjointed tweeting.
#AllisonBailey

Main takeaways three members of Stonewall’s trans advisory group currently have their names redacted in documents - this may not be the case at the full hearing.

Judy Khan QC of Garden Court Chambers refused permission to testify today as not time for...
Ben Cooper QC for the claimant to cross examine.

Ben Cooper QC arguing against strike out - there was clearly communications from Stonewall to Garden Court Chambers that acted as inducement to discrimination that @BluskyeAllison suffered.
#AllisonBailey

We strongly recommend that schools do not work with or use materials produced by Stonewall while they are facing accusations of discrimination on the grounds of Belief, Sex & Sexual Orientation.

#edutwitter #WomenEd #SLTchat #LGBT #ukedchat #NQT #teachertwitter

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