Simon Regan
Encyclopedia
Simon Regan was a British
journalist best known for founding Scallywag magazine
, which deliberately took risks with libellous
articles about public figures. He also worked on the News of the World
and late in his career focused on criminal convictions he believed were miscarriages of justice
.
, London
and brought up in a mansion owned by his grandmother where many of the rooms were rented out. His parents were supporters of the Communist Party of Great Britain
and were visited by many East European intellectuals. Regan attended Haverstock Comprehensive School, and wrote poetry for John O'London's Magazine
while in his teens.
, Regan became a journalist on a local paper before moving to London as a freelance. In March 1967 the Press Council criticised him for a piece he contributed to The Sun
about a woman who had become pregnant after a sterilization operation.
He landed a staff job on the News of the World in 1967 where he specialised in writing stories exposing cannabis
-taking, Trotskyite
student conspiracies, a world he was close to as a user of cannabis himself. Despite often attacking senior staff at the News of the World, Regan was popular with readers and wrote his pieces in line with the newspaper's view. He also worked on police corruption stories.
, and then followed with two royal biographies. A reviewer found the biography of Murdoch "disgracefully ill-written and ill-constructed". Regan's biography of Prince Charles
, "Charles, The Clown Prince", was based on letters and paintings by the young Prince which had been stolen from Buckingham Palace
, and the Royal solicitors wrote to the publishers to remind them of the law of Copyright
. His second royal biography, "Margaret - A Love Story", claimed to reveal details of Princess Margaret
's love life.
Meanwhile Regan became a freelance editor and public relations adviser. He founded a journal which he called "Butterfly News", chiefly to attack personal targets including Coca-Cola
, the National Farmers Union
and the main figures in butterfly
collecting.
to Lady Diana Spencer
, then his fiancée. In addition to revealing their intimate conversation, Charles could be heard making disparaging remarks about Malcolm Fraser
, then Prime Minister of Australia
, and about some aspects of Australian culture. They were bought by Die Aktuelle, a German magazine; the Prince and Lady Diana obtained an injunction preventing Regan from disclosing or publishing the contents of the transcripts, but Die Aktuelle was not affected and published the transcripts on 8 May despite a German court having also injuncted them against publication.
The Prince's lawyer later insisted that the tapes were forgeries, while Regan insisted they were genuine.
but Regan felt that the Eye had become too cautious of libel actions and determined not to fall in to the same trap. For this reason Scallywag started to attract a loyal readership, although the major newspaper distributors refused to handle it (a situation Regan regarded as tantamount to censorship
). Nevertheless in 1991 Scallywag moved to London and became a national publication.
Scallywag became a news story in itself in 1993 when it stoked a baseless rumour that John Major
, then Prime Minister
, was having an affair with Clare Latimer, who was a freelance cook who helped with state dinners at 10 Downing Street
. A story in the New Statesman
showed how the rumours had been covertly mentioned in mainstream papers. When Major heard of the New Statesman story he sued both them and Scallywag for libel; he also sued the distributors and printers of both papers, which contributed to nearly driving the New Statesman out of business.
led to another series of libel actions which the magazine lost comprehensively. Scallywag disappeared from print and moved to a site on the World Wide Web
instead. Lewis followed and won damages from Scallywags internet service provider, closing the site down.
Regan responded by accusing Lewis of lying, and decided to attempt to sabotage Lewis' campaign in New Forest East where he was Conservative candidate for the 1997 election
. Unfortunately for Regan, Lewis was aware of an obscure section of electoral law and when he obtained a taped confession from Regan that his aim was to cost Lewis votes, Lewis was able to get Regan convicted of spreading false statements about an election candidate.
in the 2001 general election
in Regent's Park and Kensington North. He died after a short illness.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist best known for founding Scallywag magazine
Scallywag (magazine)
Scallywag magazine was published in London between 1991 and 1995. The subtitle of issues 1 - 6 was "Camden's only alternative community magazine". It sought to publish controversial journalism which other satirical and investigative publications would not publish due to fear of litigation. It...
, which deliberately took risks with libellous
Slander and libel
Defamation—also called calumny, vilification, traducement, slander , and libel —is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation a negative image...
articles about public figures. He also worked on the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
and late in his career focused on criminal convictions he believed were miscarriages of justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
.
Family and early life
Regan was born in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and brought up in a mansion owned by his grandmother where many of the rooms were rented out. His parents were supporters of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
and were visited by many East European intellectuals. Regan attended Haverstock Comprehensive School, and wrote poetry for John O'London's Magazine
John O'London's Weekly
John O'London's Weekly was a weekly literary magazine that was published by George Newnes of London between 1919 and 1954. Regarded as the leading literary magazine in the British Empire, at its height it had a circulation of 80,000, and it was popular among young and older readers alike.Founded in...
while in his teens.
Journalistic career
Having moved to Weymouth, DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, Regan became a journalist on a local paper before moving to London as a freelance. In March 1967 the Press Council criticised him for a piece he contributed to The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
about a woman who had become pregnant after a sterilization operation.
He landed a staff job on the News of the World in 1967 where he specialised in writing stories exposing cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
-taking, Trotskyite
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
student conspiracies, a world he was close to as a user of cannabis himself. Despite often attacking senior staff at the News of the World, Regan was popular with readers and wrote his pieces in line with the newspaper's view. He also worked on police corruption stories.
Royal reporter
After leaving the News of the World, Regan wrote biographies. He started with his former proprietor Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
, and then followed with two royal biographies. A reviewer found the biography of Murdoch "disgracefully ill-written and ill-constructed". Regan's biography of Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, "Charles, The Clown Prince", was based on letters and paintings by the young Prince which had been stolen from Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, and the Royal solicitors wrote to the publishers to remind them of the law of Copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
. His second royal biography, "Margaret - A Love Story", claimed to reveal details of Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
's love life.
Meanwhile Regan became a freelance editor and public relations adviser. He founded a journal which he called "Butterfly News", chiefly to attack personal targets including Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, the National Farmers Union
National Farmers Union
National Farmers Union may refer to:*National Farmers Union *National Farmers Union *National Farmers Union *National Farmers Union of Scotland*National Farmers Union -See also:...
and the main figures in butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
collecting.
Royal scandal
In April 1981, Regan obtained transcripts of telephone calls made by Prince Charles in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to Lady Diana Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, then his fiancée. In addition to revealing their intimate conversation, Charles could be heard making disparaging remarks about Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
, then Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, and about some aspects of Australian culture. They were bought by Die Aktuelle, a German magazine; the Prince and Lady Diana obtained an injunction preventing Regan from disclosing or publishing the contents of the transcripts, but Die Aktuelle was not affected and published the transcripts on 8 May despite a German court having also injuncted them against publication.
The Prince's lawyer later insisted that the tapes were forgeries, while Regan insisted they were genuine.
Scallywag
In 1989 Regan founded Scallywag magazine in Dorset when the lure of journalism drew him back from his retirement in Butteryfly World on Lodmoor Park, Weymouth. Initially Scallywag was a local magazine seeking to expose issue in South Dorset. A recurrent theme was illegal tipping on the nearby Lodmoor refuse deport where he accused council staff of taking bribes to allow dangerous chemicals to be tipped. He was inspired by the early years of Private EyePrivate Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
but Regan felt that the Eye had become too cautious of libel actions and determined not to fall in to the same trap. For this reason Scallywag started to attract a loyal readership, although the major newspaper distributors refused to handle it (a situation Regan regarded as tantamount to censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
). Nevertheless in 1991 Scallywag moved to London and became a national publication.
Scallywag became a news story in itself in 1993 when it stoked a baseless rumour that John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
, then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, was having an affair with Clare Latimer, who was a freelance cook who helped with state dinners at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
. A story in the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
showed how the rumours had been covertly mentioned in mainstream papers. When Major heard of the New Statesman story he sued both them and Scallywag for libel; he also sued the distributors and printers of both papers, which contributed to nearly driving the New Statesman out of business.
Out of business
Scallywag limped on but a 1994 story about Conservative politician Julian LewisJulian Lewis
Dr. Julian Murray Lewis is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for New Forest East in Hampshire since the 1997 general election.-Education:Born on 26 September 1951 in Swansea, Dr...
led to another series of libel actions which the magazine lost comprehensively. Scallywag disappeared from print and moved to a site on the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
instead. Lewis followed and won damages from Scallywags internet service provider, closing the site down.
Regan responded by accusing Lewis of lying, and decided to attempt to sabotage Lewis' campaign in New Forest East where he was Conservative candidate for the 1997 election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. Unfortunately for Regan, Lewis was aware of an obscure section of electoral law and when he obtained a taped confession from Regan that his aim was to cost Lewis votes, Lewis was able to get Regan convicted of spreading false statements about an election candidate.
Later life
In his final years Regan devoted himself to propagating his belief that Diana, Princess of Wales had been killed in a conspiracy. He also set up a website called "Scandals in justice" which sought to expose wrongful convictions, and wrote occasionally for The Guardian. In 2000 he was convicted of "disseminating malicious falsehoods." Regan was married and divorced twice; he had six daughters, one of whom (Charlotte) stood as an IndependentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
in Regent's Park and Kensington North. He died after a short illness.