Cases

North London Central Mosque Trust v Policy Exchange & Anor

Facts

C, an unincorporated charitable trust responsible for the management of the North London Central Mosque, brought a libel claim in respect of: (1) a report entitled 'The hijacking of British Islam: How extremist literature is subverting mosques in the UK’ authored by D2 and published by D1, a think tank, which was reported on the front pages of numerous newspapers, and; (2) words spoken by a representative of D1 on a BBC Newsnight broadcast.

Some time after service of their Defence, the Ds raised for the first time the issue of C's unincorporated status, and three months later issued an application to strike out C's claim on that basis. C cross-applied to substitute trustees of C as the claimant, in order to maintain an action on behalf of the charitable trust.  Ds conceded that the charitable trust has a reputation separate and distinct from that of its trustees, but challenged that any defamation action could be brought in respect of that reputation.

Also