A piece in the Standard. Nigel writes:

“As expected Brand is convicted. Though not on all counts. One can sympathise with his Barrister who apparently commented to the journalist who had pursued the story. Brand was convicted because of the “trial by media” newspaper stories and “documentary”. I see the “narrative” is now he “was hiding in plain sight” and yet of course he wasn’t hiding at all. His fame was because he was a libertine and addict. Achieving high ratings and huge audiences. But of course as the screen is filled with male and female pearl clutching media types claiming to be “horrified” one has to remember the current state of TV output. Naked Attraction, Naked Dating, Married at first sight, Love Island, Big Brother, Dating Naked as well as a parade of dramas awash with promiscuous sex of all forms and all “genders”. Quite clearly there is little morality in the pursuit of ratings. It really is rich to see them line up pretending to be shocked.

Brand was convicted not because there was actual evidence but because he wasn’t hiding at all. The very easiest “target” of all precisely because he himself was very publicly promiscuous a “sex addict” as well as other addictions and has even admitted as such and written of his regret as he has grown older. Long before the trial he was already “guilty”. I expect Ian Winter KC will be hauled over the coals for apparently pointing this out. In a sense its more surprising three of the accusers were not believed in this “he said she said” trial, three damsels in distress against against a latter day Marquis de Sade.”

—————————-

If you’d like email notifications of our new blog pieces, please enter your email address in the box near the top of the right-hand column and click ‘Subscribe’.

We shall shortly be posting this piece on our X channel.

Our YouTube channel is here.