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WALTHAM FOREST: Campaign launched to clear sex slur councillor's name

9:51am Wednesday 24th October 2007

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A CAMPAIGN has been launched to clear the name of disgraced councillor Miranda Grell, who was found guilty of falsely claiming an election rival was a paedophile.

Grell, 29, was a rising star in the Labour party and an aide to the Deputy Mayor of London Nicky Gavron.

She overturned a large Liberal Democrat majority to win a Leyton ward seat in the May 2006 local elections.

But last month a judge found that he had no reason to doubt the testimony of two witnesses who claimed Grell told them while canvassing that the former Lib Dem councillor Barry Smith had a sexual interest in young Thai boys.

A campaign has been set up to raise the £30,000 she estimates she needs to pay her legal fees and raise awareness about her appeal, which Grell said has now been formally lodged.

Grell said the campaign, entitled Justice for Leyton Ward, is a non-party political, independent campaign set up by her friends and family.

Justice for Leyton Ward chairman Andrew Lock said: "Miranda and everyone who knows her were utterly shocked at the guilty verict against her.

"Those of us who campaigned with Miranda in 2006 remember nothing but a happy, vibrant, and exciting local election campaign that energised the Leyton community and parts of the ward that had been abandoned for years.

"Miranda is maintaining her innocence."

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Your Say YourEast London and West Essex Guardian Series

Observer, says...
10:06am Wed 24 Oct 07

Grell said the campaign, entitled Justice for Leyton Ward, is a non-party political, independent campaign set up by her friends and family.

So REALLY independent then!

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maxine, leyton says...
9:30am Thu 25 Oct 07

Maybe l have not understood this whole drama, but what is she trying to clear her name of .Ms. Grell has admitted making comments about this man's sexuality.

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efua scotland, London says...
11:58am Thu 25 Oct 07

I do not understand why she is fighting. I am a non political observer, but the Crown Prosecution Service and a very experienced judge would not waste their time on a political squabble in E London. They had a hard enough time with cash for honours.
This is the UK not a banana republic. Even if she is found innocent next time round, her reputation has been damaged, if I was in the Labour party I would not select her for another seat because she is a liability and has proved that she is naïve. It reminds me of Jonathan Aitken MP, was a victim of a his own lies that trapped him not a political agenda.

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John, Walthamstow says...
12:05pm Thu 25 Oct 07

Who cares anyway?

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Inamicus, says...
4:53pm Thu 25 Oct 07

This site is a disgrace. Grell's own testimony in court related how she smeared her opponent. Labour - soft on hate crime.

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Tom, NE London says...
8:25pm Thu 25 Oct 07

Cllr Grell has admitted to telling someone on the doorstep that Barry Smith had a 19yr old boyfriend. By bringing up his sexulity and lying about his partners age she acted in an appalling and homophobic manner.

No-where have I seen her apologise for this statement, and why her supporters find it 'unimaginable' for her to say the same statement but using the age 16 rather than 19 I don't understand. The implication is the same.

To keep someone who has admitted to this language in office would be far from 'Justice' for Leyton .

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Elise Campbell, Leytonstone says...
9:41am Fri 26 Oct 07

She was found guilty of calling him a paedophile. I don't believe that.

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An ony mous, Leyton says...
11:46am Fri 26 Oct 07

There are more worthy causes out there than trying to help out a convicted homophobic liar. It should be noted that Miranda was (or is) a governor of a school in the ward. Hopefully she no longer is, as we have no need the involvement of such homophobes in our schools. Labour should be seen to be taking unequivical action in distancing themselves from this person, or perhaps they condone such election tactics.

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Peter, London says...
5:42pm Sat 27 Oct 07

Irrespective of the actual charge she has admitted campaigning against him on the basis of his sexuality - anyone supporting her should be ashamed of themselves.

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Delroy Robinson, Enfield(work in Walthamstow) says...
3:57pm Mon 29 Oct 07

Just read the print edition of this story and came onto to read the comments on the website. I have been following this whole case closely (my sister lives in Leyton) and I think Miranda Grells conviction is a miscarride of justice. I remember being at my sistaer's place one day when Miranda came trying to get my sister to vote for her. She was friendly, happy and enthusiastic. No one in my sister's house remembers anything like this being said when she came to visit them. I've also googled her on the internet and read about the case. Peter is wrong, she did not "admit campaigning against (her opponent) based on sexuality" at all. Apart from this website the reporting has been slap dash to sya the least. Hasn't the poor girl been through enough without the case being spun in this way? Miranda will continue to have my and my sister's full support.

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Fran, Leyton says...
2:10pm Tue 30 Oct 07

Delroy Robinson wrote:
Just read the print edition of this story and came onto to read the comments on the website. I have been following this whole case closely (my sister lives in Leyton) and I think Miranda Grells conviction is a miscarride of justice. I remember being at my sistaer\'s place one day when Miranda came trying to get my sister to vote for her. She was friendly, happy and enthusiastic. No one in my sister\'s house remembers anything like this being said when she came to visit them. I\'ve also googled her on the internet and read about the case. Peter is wrong, she did not \"admit campaigning against (her opponent) based on sexuality\" at all. Apart from this website the reporting has been slap dash to sya the least. Hasn\'t the poor girl been through enough without the case being spun in this way? Miranda will continue to have my and my sister\'s full support.
Delroy

Ms Grell admitted saying that her opponent had a 19 year old Malaysian boyfriend, she admitted she knew that her opponent had a 38 year old Malaysian boyfriend.

Can you please explain what you think about this? To say something that you know to be untrue is a lie.

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Was in court, says...
5:05pm Tue 30 Oct 07

"she admitted she knew that her opponent had a 38 year old Malaysian boyfriend".

No, she didn't.

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efua scotland, London says...
10:10am Wed 31 Oct 07

Delroy when it comes to reporting a court case, journalists are restricted with what they can say and can’t say. And if what reporter said was untrue Miranda could sue them, which she has not done. So to say that ‘reporting has been slap dash’ is to not understand the legal point and it is clear you do not understand the legal systems relationship with the press. Also Miranda was very happy to use the press to her advantage when it came to making her look good.
I also notice that on supporters board of the justice for Leyton ward website her best friend - chuka umunna who is a Labour party rising star (he was on Question Time the other night) he is tipped to be an MP at the next general election has not supported her. Why? As a lawyer he probably knows for her to be convicted that the judge would have had to consider the case very carefully and fundamentally the conviction was fair and square.

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Jeremy Smith, says...
11:52am Wed 31 Oct 07

"And if what reporter said was untrue Miranda could sue them, which she has not done".

There are some very nasty people on this website. Don't you think that Ms Grell is probably more concerned with her appeal at the moment than scrurulous journalism. It would be wise for everyone on this message board and others to keep their counsel until the results of that appeal are known.

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maxine, leyton says...
4:48pm Wed 31 Oct 07

There is two sides to everythink and everyone l personally think Ms.Grell is a rude , self centerered woman. i have been on the receiving end of her mouth.

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Fran, leyton says...
5:00pm Wed 31 Oct 07

"Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court heard in police interviews Grell admitted she had discussed Mr Smith's sexuality with one local resident.

She said she told the man Mr Smith claimed to be married despite having a 19-year-old Thai boyfriend.

Grell put the mistake down to political immaturity and inexperience at campaigning.
"

BBC News

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efua scotland, London says...
10:21am Thu 1 Nov 07

Clearly Jeremy Smith you are a supporter of Miranda. In your defence of Miranda you clearly are unable to explain why her best friend, Chucka Ummuna, who has known her for ten years since university, was unable to supporter her on her website. The various victims of Miranda’s rude and self centerered shenanigans, many in Leyton ward and the Lib Dem councillor at the centre of this case, would be able to tell you why. Justice for Leyton ward, my foot. Justice was done on 21 September 2007 when she was the first person to be convicted of such terrible crime that undermines the democracy of the UK. British politics is better off without her, good riddance to bad rubbish. Even if she wins her appeal, success will be short lived as she has built her political career on very shaky ground.

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