News from the New Party

Government U-Turn in Al Gore High Court Battle

High Court Slams An Inconvenient Truth

New Party member Stewart Dimmock was vindicated yesterday when the high court ruled that Al Gore's controversial film, An Inconvenient Truth contains partisan political views and forced the Government to rewrite the Guidance notes accompanying the film to expose its many scientific inaccuracies.  Mr. Dimmock brought his case in the belief that the decision to distribute Gore’s film amounted to the political indoctrination of school children contrary to section 406 of the Education Act 1996.

Paul Downes, counsel for Mr Dimmock, criticised the film at length describing it as “a mix of scientific inaccuracies, political propaganda and sentimental “mush”.  Although the full judgment is yet to be handed down, it appears that High Court Judge, Mr Justice Burton, agreed. The Court found that the film was misleading in 11 respects and that the Guidance Notes drafted by the Education Secretary’s advisors served only to exacerbate the political propaganda in the film.

In order for the film to be shown, the Government must first amend their Guidance Notes to Teachers to make clear that 1.) The Film is a political work and promotes only one side of the argument. 2.) If teachers present the Film without making this plain they may be in breach of section 406 of the Education Act 1996 and guilty of political indoctrination. 3.) Eleven inaccuracies have to be specifically drawn to the attention of school children.

In a massive blow to their credibility the Government were also required to delete parts of the Guidance Notes which said that guest speakers could be allowed into school from political organisations such as “local green action groups” to debate how pupils could place pressure on their local politicians.

Stewart Dimmock commented: “I am delighted that the Court agreed that it would have been illegal to distribute this film without making substantial changes to the guidance.  However, one of the most worrying aspects of this disgraceful episode is that the Government actually intended the Gore film to be shown without any guidance at all.”

A significant by-product of the case has been the line by line exposition of just how inaccurate, one-sided and misleading An Inconvenient Truth actually is.  The High Court decision is also likely to prove embarrassing for the large number of politicians who jumped on the global warming bandwagon in a blatant pitch for Green votes.

Click here for details of the film's inaccuracies