Dan Norris MP threatened with legal action

Dan Norris, Chair of the League Against Cruel Sports and Labour MP, faces fresh controversy as a former chief executive threatens legal action, raising further questions about his leadership.

A Somerset MP who is also West of England Metro Mayor has been threatened with legal action over comments he made on a BBC TV programme.

Dan Norris, Metro Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) and Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, told the BBC’s Politics West show “there were issues” about his former chief executive at Weca, Patricia Greer.

Dr Greer, who received a £219,000 pay-off when she departed the role in August 2023 having earlier taken out a grievance against him, said: “Dan Norris’ comments about myself were incorrect and a complete misrepresentation of my reasons for leaving.”

Dr Greer went on to say there was a confidentiality agreement in place and that she had “continued to respect and abide by” the terms set out within it.

She warned that “If there are further breaches of the confidentiality agreement and comments made which bring me into disrepute, which are again misrepresentations, then I will have no other choice but to respond to correct these to protect my professional reputation.”

Dr Greer claims that Mr Norris’ comments on the BBC’s Politics West show on 24 November were a breach of the confidentiality agreement.

Such agreements are commonplace in dispute settlements and breaching them can result in injunctions, damages and, in very severe cases, criminal charges.

Norris’s comments were all the more perplexing as he admitted on the programme that there were non-disclosure agreements signed with former staff. These are usually binding on both parties to any settlement.

Full story: BBC News