low graphics version | feedback | help
| Front Page World |
| UK |
|
Northern Ireland Scotland Wales |
| UK Politics Business Sci/Tech Health Education Sport Entertainment Talking Point In Depth AudioVideo |
Hamiltons' '£2000 Ritz extras'
Neil and Christine Hamilton spent six days at the Paris Ritz |
Former Tory minister Neil Hamilton and his wife spent thousands of pounds on luxurious "extras" when they stayed at the Paris Ritz courtesy of Mohamed al-Fayed, the High Court has heard.
 |
|
The total bill for their room and "extras" would have been £6,000 in today's prices, the court heard.
Hotel president Frank Klein said in evidence that the couple's £2,000 tab (£3,238 today) was, even at the Ritz, "a very large bill".
Mr Hamilton, former Conservative MP for Tatton, is suing Mr al-Fayed over claims that Mr Hamilton asked for and accepted money, gift vouchers and a free holiday for asking parliamentary questions on behalf of Harrods.
Dinner for £230
Questioned by George Carman QC, for Mr al-Fayed, Mr Klein ran through a list of the Hamiltons' consumption during their six-day visit, including a series of dinners costing more than £200, and one day's mini-bar bill of £37.
They stayed in a room costing £240 a night (£440 today) and their first night dinner cost £230 and included a £58 (£140 today) bottle of vintage champagne, Mr Klein told the court.
Mr Klein said: "It's a very expensive dinner, with expensive wine and food."
"If you do that every day of course that's why you come to this large amount," he added.
Mr Carman said the couple had even charged stamps worth a "matter of pennies in English money" to the bill.
Mr Klein said that as the hotel was "not running a charity", guests usually paid for this themselves.
'Payment for amendment'
Later, top tax lawyer Peter Whiteman QC, told the jury he was "taken aback" when Mr Hamilton telephoned him about payment from multi-national oil company Mobil after the MP had tabled an amendment on the company's behalf in 1989.
Mr Whiteman, who is a tax adviser to Mobil, agreed with Mr Carman that in 1989 he was advising the company on an issue of retrospective taxation resulting from the proposed finance bill of that year.
Mr Carman asked Mr Whiteman about a meeting at his London chambers with Mobil representatives and Mr Hamilton in May 1989 before the amendment was tabled in the House of Commons.
Mr Carman asked: "At this meeting in May 1989 had you ever had any discussion with Mr Neil Hamilton about whether he should be employed or paid in any way by Mobil for what he was about to do?"
Mr Whiteman replied: "No, I had not."
It was Mr Hamilton who raised the question of payment, he said.
Mr al-Fayed denies libel and pleads justification.
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
 | BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
 | BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 | PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
|
|
See also: |
|
 |
|
 |
30 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed's ex-secretary 'not lying' |
| |
|
|
29 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Hamilton took 'wodge' of cash |
| |
|
|
26 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed cries in court |
| |
|
|
25 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed's fury over cash withdrawal questions |
| |
|
|
24 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed 'persecuted Harrods staff' |
| |
|
|
22 Nov 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed challenges Duke to sue |
| |
|
|
02 Dec 99 | UK |
|
Al-Fayed witness denies 'plot' |
| |
Links to other UK stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~29~RS~)