Goodwin injunction hid claims of affair

Sir Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, was granted a super-injunction to hide the fact that he had an affair with a senior colleague, it has been revealed in the House of Lords.

The details emerged in a question tabled by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Oakeshott during a debate this morning. As all comments made in parliament are covered by privilege, what he said can be reported.

Lord Stoneham, speaking on behalf of his party colleague, asked justice minister Lord McNally: "Would he accept that every taxpayer has a direct public interest in the events leading up to the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland?

"So how can it be right for a super-injunction to hide the alleged relationship between Sir Fred Goodwin and a senior colleague? If true it would be a serious breach of corporate governance and not even the Financial Services Authority would be allowed to know about it."

It is the second time that parliamentary privilege has been used to reveal details of Goodwin's super-injunction. The fact that he had obtained a ruling was first disclosed by Lib Dem MP John Hemming earlier this year in the House of Commons. Other details of the injunction had remained secret until now.

In reply, Lord McNally said: "I do not think it is proper for me, from this dispatch box, to comment on individual cases, some of which are before the courts."

Lord Oakeshott has raised questions in Parliament about the legal protection offered to Goodwin in the past and resigned as a Lib Dem spokesman in protest at the coalition's failure to properly tackle banking excess last month.

Speaking outside the chamber he explained why he was opposed to the super-injunction, which even stated that Goodwin should not be referred to as a banker.

"I'm not interested in footballers' sex lives," said Lord Oakeshott. "But Royal Bank of Scotland was the biggest collapse in corporate history. It cost taxpayers billions and thousands of people their businesses and their jobs. You could not conceive of something more in the public interest than knowing the full facts leading to that collapse."

Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger publishes his report on super-injunctions, which have become a major talking point as more public figures apply for them, on Friday. ·