NEWS: Basham fights back in High Court

Brian Basham, a former PR adviser to British Airways, came under attack

in the High Court this week from defence lawyers who branded him a

‘corporate assassin’.

The attack came on the second day of his libel action against Martyn

Gregory, author of Dirty Tricks, and the book’s publisher Little, Brown

and Company.

Basham claims he was libelled in the book, which accused him of

involvement in a dirty tricks campaign run by British Airways against

Virgin Atlantic. He says it wrongly portrayed him as a ‘peddler of

lies.’ Gregory and Little, Brown are defending the action, arguing that

what was said in the book was justified.

Defence counsel Ronald Thwaites QC claimed Basham was ‘the corporate

assassin who killed off his client’s rivals if he could and was not

particular about the methods he employed.’ He said of Basham: ‘Mr Basham

is someone who operates in a way that is disreputable and

dishonourable.’

Earlier Basham’s counsel Patrick Milmo QC had told the court that Basham

had been made the ‘fall guy’ for BA following their ‘humiliating

capitulation’ in libel proceedings brought by Virgin founder Richard

Branson. He said Basham was extremely angry as he had acted properly and

in good faith throughout and with BA’s knowledge.

Basham would say in evidence that BA’s management had lots of wild ideas

about ‘rubbishing and denigrating’ Virgin, and that he had spent a lot

of time attempting to stop them implementing their campaigns, said Mr

Milmo.

He added the court would be told it was vital for someone in Basham’s

profession to be known as a reliable source of accurate information.

‘You cannot lie to journalists and members of the public and at the same

time be a PR consultant,’ said Mr Milmo.

The hearing continues.