Expelled Alliance Party member Geoffrey Wilson loses legal bid

Geoffrey Wilson claimed the decision to suspend and then oust him breached freedom of speech rights.

But a judge today refused to grant leave to seek a judicial review because no public law issue was involved.

Mr Justice Colton ruled: “These are clearly private law matters that should be commenced in a private law jurisdiction.”

Following the decision, Mr Wilson vowed to continue his fight by issuing a writ over the circumstances surrounding his expulsion.

The legal consultant, from the Dunmurry area of Belfast, was a member of the cross-community party for nine years.

But he said that he was suspended and then expelled in December last year over events at a meeting to select Assembly candidates for the Lagan Valley constituency.

Mr Wilson claimed the steps were taken because he put a “controversial question” to an Alliance councillor.

He applied for leave to challenge the decision to suspend his membership, alleging that it breached freedom of speech protected by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

At a preliminary hearing today Mr Wilson argued that the Alliance Party can be regarded as a public body – a legal requirement for judicial review cases.

He told the court it provides strong public functions, adding that two of Northern Ireland’s Justice Ministers have come from its ranks.

Referring to events at the selection meeting, Mr Wilson submitted: “Surely it is in the public interest that any member of a political party has a duty to ask challenging questions of people who will potentially go into the Assembly, pass laws, and hold Executive office.”

Reacting to the verdict, Mr Wilson said later: “I’m disappointed at the judge’s decision.”