Top Tory faces legal bill after apology over ‘libel’

Oct 3 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A SENIOR Wirral Conservative is facing a large compensation and legal bill after being forced to apologise to a former colleague who accused him of libelling her.

West Kirby councillor David Elderton has written an apology to the former chairwoman of the West Wirral Conservatives, Margaret Kalil.

Solicitors acting for Mrs Kalil said emails sent by Cllr Elderton had defamed their client by suggesting financial impropriety and gross misconduct.

Just weeks after a writ was issued against him, the West Kirby and Thurstaston councillor has apologised.

Sources have claimed he could face compensation claims of between £15,000 and £25,000, plus legal costs of around £5,000 “and going up” after his apology.

Mrs Kalil’s solicitor, Michael Sandys, a partner at Kirwans, said: “Margaret Kalil suffered a huge amount of distress and upset as a result of the personal attacks in Cllr Elderton’s emails.

“Cllr Elderton acted in an unprofessional manner in writing such damaging emails and he has taken the only right course of action in offering a complete apology, compensation and costs.”

It is understood Cllr Elderton’s email onslaught came as he was battling to win re-selection to fight the local elections in May.

He is said to have sent an email to former Tory councillor Ian McKellar in which he attacked Mrs Kalil’s character and integrity.

It is understood the email, dated September 13, 2006, was later circulated to the executive committee of Wirral West Conservative Association. Mrs Kalil instructed Merseyside-based Kirwans Solicitors to bring a libel action against Cllr Elderton, saying she had suffered defamation of character.

Last night, Cllr Elderton refused to confirm he had apologised and said he was “legally not able to comment” on the matter.

When pressed about whether he had apologised he said: “I think you will find there has been some confusion.”

However, the Daily Post understands the letter of apology was written on Wirral Council-headed paper and includes an offer to make amends, saying the original email was sent marked “private and confidential” and was not intended to be made public.

The letter offers compensation and suggests a possible donation to charity.

The case follows a turbulent period for Conservatives in the west of the borough and last year it was claimed the party had “pressed the self-destruct button”.

Sources within the Conservatives said at the time the constituency was “one step away from special measures” as a result of internal acrimony.

Following this year’s local elections, the Conservative group was ousted from the three-way power sharing on the hung council when the Labour and the Liberal Democrat groups formed a joint cabinet.

liammurphy@dailypost.co.uk