Things hot up as Article 50 showdown draws ever closer
Two leading barristers at the heart of the impending Supreme Court Brexit battle have clashed on Twitter over whether one called the other a cunt.
Tweeting earlier today, top tax lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC claimed that public law specialist Francis Hoar had referred to him “in writing as a c***”.
I note Lawyers for Britain's case to the SC was drafted by @Francis_Hoar, who thinks it appropriate to describe me in writing as a "c***".
— Jo Maugham QC (@JolyonMaugham) November 29, 2016
Maugham — a tenant at London’s Dereveux Chambers — is a vocal pro-Remainer, who launched a crowdfunding campaign through website CrowdJustice back in June to help fund a number of claimants, known as the People’s Challenge, in the Brexit legal challenge.
Meanwhile on the other side of the political fence, Field Court Chambers’ Hoar is part of a group called Lawyers for Britain. Defying the profession’s typical pro-Bremain stance, the organisation has campaigned to get the United Kingdom out of the European Union, and will be intervening in the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the appellant’s (the government’s) side.
But how did this Twitter spat — which Legal Cheek will refer to as c-gate — all come about?
Well it would appear the first reference to Maugham being called the c-word on social media dates back to May of this year. Claiming to have bumped into “a fellow tax silk at a party”, political blogger Guido Fawkes — who regularly trumpets his support for Brexit — claimed the mystery lawyer had referred to Maugham as “a total cunt.”
@JolyonMaugham Bumped into a fellow tax silk at a party. Introduced himself to me. "Really enjoy your spats with Jolyon. He's a total cunt."
— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) May 30, 2016
And just over a week ago the c-story resurfaced again. This time in a tweet to talkRADIO host Julia Hartley-Brewer, Guido Fawkes — again quoting the elusive sweary silk — referred to Maugham as “the biggest c*** in the Inns of Court.”
@JuliaHB1 One of his fellow barristers told me "He's the biggest c*** in the Inns of Court". Jolyon told me he took that as badge of honour.
— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) November 19, 2016
It was at this point Hoar couldn’t resist getting involved. While stressing that he wasn’t the mystery lawyer that Guido Fawkes had been quoting, he subtly suggested he wasn’t Maugham’s biggest fan.
@GuidoFawkes @JuliaHB1 Wasn't me but, if I had to give a view…
— Francis Hoar (@Francis_Hoar) November 19, 2016
Hoar has taken to Twitter again this morning to make clear he wasn’t the original c-word dropper, and to claim he had done nothing wrong.
@LVIaLondres I commented on an observation by someone who allegedly spoke to Guido Faukes as to the merits of Maugham.
— Francis Hoar (@Francis_Hoar) November 29, 2016
@LVIaLondres He wasn't copied in but is obviously thin skinned enough to check these things. Not my use of words, as I said then.
— Francis Hoar (@Francis_Hoar) November 29, 2016
A frosty handshake could be on the cards if both Maugham and Hoar are present at Monday’s Supreme Court hearing. Oh wait, barristers don’t shake hands…