GET YOUR CHEQUES OUT FOR THE CAUSE

My alma mater, the venerable left weekly Tribune, has a problem: it has been sued for libel by a Tory, and it needs serious money -- because he has settled out-of-court for a five-figure payment.

The cash is tight, but as Bob Dylan put it, I think it can be very easily done. A hundred donations of £100 makes £10,000 -- so please, comrades, cough up.

Send £50 or £100 -- or more if you can afford it -- to Tribune Special Appeal Fund, c/o Finance department, Tribune, 9 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6AN. Make cheques payable to Tribune Publications Ltd.

Here's the story, from an ad in the current issue:

AN URGENT FINANCIAL APPEAL FOR LEGAL COSTS

Tribune's recent success in putting the magazine's future onto more secure ground and improving circulation has suffered a serious setback in the form of threatened legal action for libel.

In spite of our best endeavours to check the accuracy of a story, we got it wrong. And in spite of publishing a full apology we have been obliged to meet substantial legal costs and damages. In our edition of 29 July 2005 we wrongly stated that the Conservative Leader of Westminster Council, Simon Milton, had offended the gay community in that borough by opposing the flying of the rainbow flag. In fact Cllr Milton is on record as supporting the liberalisation of planning law to enable the rainbow flag to be displayed in establishments in Westminster.

Tribune accepted that the article was defamatory and at the earliest opportunity we published an unreserved apology to Cllr Milton in the same prominent position within the paper as the original article. However, the demand for damages was pursued and the outcome, including costs, was a substantial bill to Tribune. Although Cllr Milton has allowed us time to pay, this is a highly damaging blow at a time when, with scant resources, we were planning a period of continued growth and development.

Many thanks to the following for their generous assistance: lan Aitken, Tony Bodley, AJ Hurt, Barry and Ann Camfield, James Dickens, David Fearnhead, Michael Foot, Simon Fowler, Margit and Geoffrey Goodman, AJ and T Hesp, Peter Jones, Kenneth May, Nicholas Mole, Lawrie Nerva, Keith Rennolds, Tricia Sumner.

If you feel you can help Tribune overcome this current problem and help ensure our survival please send donations urgently to:

TRIBUNE SPECIAL APPEAL FUND, c/o FINANCE DEPT. 9 ARKWRIGHT ROAD, LONDON NW3 6AN.