Dear Mr Yalland

I notice that you are accusing those of us who have advocated membership of tghe Euro as being liars on the grounds that we have lied about the political implications of  membership of the Euro.

As a former Economics Director of the British Chambers of Commerce, former Reseach Secretary of the Bow Group, former candidate and currently member of the Carlton Club political Committee and director of a pressure group and as somebody who has spoken at Central Council in favour of participation in the Single Currency, I take grave exception to this false and malicious allegation that plainly applies, inter alios (sic), to me.

I require you to apologise, retract, and make a contribution of £1,000 to a designated good cause.   The apology must appear on Gabb's website.

If you will not comply, please will you send me either your address or the name and address of solicitors with instructions to accept service of a claim form.

I have copied this to Gabb, as he will no doubt appreciate the legal consequences of failing immediately to remove your defamatory allegations from his web site.

Yours sincerely

Joe Egerton

Dear Mr Egerton,

I have received a copy of your e-mail to Adrian Yalland, and have read it with mixed amusement and contempt.

Any lawyer will advise you that to win a libel action, you must prove that those reading a published, defamatory statement understood it as referring to you.  Mr Yalland's claim that the advocates of closer European integration have lied does not meet that test.

In the first place, Mr Yalland does not say that every advocate of closer European union has lied.

In the second place, even if he does, he is referring to a group so large and indeterminate that you have no chance of claiming that the accusation was understood as directed against you.

I notice that you have stood in the past as a Conservative candidate.  I do not know if you are planning to try standing again.  But in case you are, I have added your name to the Candidlist, together with your e-mail to Mr Yalland and this reply to it.  I wish to ensure that any selection committee in future will know how you are contributing to the most important political debate of our day.

Of course, I will classify you as a Europhile.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster

Dear Mr. Egerton.

Thank you for your email. Your record is impressive.

Firstly, may I thank you for giving me a great idea. I have often wondered if it would be possible to take someone to court for describing me as (inter alios of course) as amongst other things, extremist, xenophobic and anti-European. I wonder If I might be able to just wander up to My Blair and plant a writ in his hands? Since he is considerably wealthier than myself (or at least his wife is), this could be a lucrative little sideline.

However, I am sorry that you find yourself needing to threaten me with legal action rather than argue your case ( I am often at the Carlton Club myself, so perhaps we could meet for a drink sometime). I feel that this might indicate a wider problem (which of course I would not in any way wish to imply was applicable to your good self), mainly how readily those who hold such a fanatical commitment to the European elite federal agenda are prepared to resort to all manner activities (including I think deception) simply to get their way against the will of the British people. I refer you to my earlier comments where I outlined the number of times that the British people have been pushed into further European integration without (a) having an opportunity to express their approval, or (b) knowing the full facts
which have remained hidden by the political elites.

However, anxious not to upset the sensibilities of those who find such truths unpalatable (again, not wishing to in any way include you in this description), I have to ask: If you don't believe that the pro-European elite lied to the British people when they said that there would be no constitutional implications to joining the EEC, then how exactly do you describe this vast gap between their rhetoric and the subsequent reality? Please do feel free to inform me of what wording is acceptable to you and I will amend my comments accordingly.

I have asked Mr. Gabb to place your email to me underneath my own comments on his web site - as well as this email to you.

As for your request for me to give a £1,000 to a worthy cause, I think I might - just as soon as my student loan comes through! How about, Business for Sterling or The Democracy Movement - which one would you prefer?

As for legal action - I am afraid that I don't have a solicitor - can you recommend one. You seem to be the type of person that is well connected. Perhaps one of your friends at the Carlton Club might wish to represent me? I am afraid that I might have to set up a fighting fund though, as I am not sure if Legal Aid stretches as far as defending a libel action.

I remain however, your most humble and obedient servant,

Adrian Yalland

I make no comment other than that I am not on the official candidates' list and would be grateful if you did not imply that I am

J Egerton

Dear Mr Egerton,

I am very happy indeed to let the many thousands of people who visit Candidlist every week know that you are not on the official list of Conservative Candidates.

I will keep your name on the Candidlist, however, just in case you are ever tempted to try your hand again at politics.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster