Mark Harries

Mark Harries sues the UK Conservative government for
'mishandling of the country's affairs, laws & assests.

Publication 1:

WESTERN MAIL
The National Newspaper of Wales
Tuesday July 9, 1991

"Mark sues Tories"
'Whitehall owes me �1m for recession, claims businessman'

Publication 2:

SOUTH WALES ECHO
October, 1991

"Modern day David out to slay Goliath"

THE Welsh businessman who has become a sort of latter-day folk hero for suing the Government
for �1m in compensation for ruining his business explains his motives to NICOLE SOCHOR.

SUING the Government for �1m seems like attempting the impossible, but Mark Harries has already achieved the impossible. This Guinness Book Of Records certificate holder once held the world record for making a 5.5-tonne chocolate egg, 25ft wide Yorkshire pudding and 28ft round toffee apple. These culinary monsters shrink to tit-bits compared to the Cardiff entrepreneurs quest to win compensation for his financial downfall. But he could set another precedent when he confronts Government defence lawyers in High Court judge's chambers on September 30 and accuses the Treasury of "mishandling the country's affairs, laws and assets." The initial hearing will cost him �15,000 in legal fees with �500,000 in costs if a full hearing is granted - though where the money will come from is not clear He sees himself as David fighting Goliath in a battle for all the little people broken by the recession. He is becoming a working man's hero with people sending dozens of letters of support. "If we can prove this Government is at fault we will change the course of history," says his wife Kaye. "I know we're going to win unless they try to pop my husband off. "It would be easy to declare ourselves bankrupt and go on the dole. We'd rather fight it out." Many victims of the worst recession since the 1930s would love to hold the Government responsible for their downfall, and Mr. Harries is doing just that. He charges the Government with selling nationalised industries too cheaply; causing property price inflation at a time he bought four properties and a slump which prevents him selling property to pay creditors; allowing interest rates to double; causing increasing unemployment and depriving him of customers; and preventing him, because of his lost collateral from borrowing to help his businesses. From being worth �500,000 on paper he is now �200,000 in debt and near bankruptcy, owing �450 a week in interest payments. "A Government armed with today's level of economic knowledge and experience is perfectly capable of avoiding a recession, or, at worst of putting right quickly," says Mr. Mark Harries. "All this redundancy, unemployment, bankruptcy and suffering could have been avoided had the Government taken the right action at the proper time. "I'm just a straightforward businessman, trying to make an honest profit like other businessmen. We're only asking for a fair deal. In this grim and long-lasting recession no-one is getting a fair deal, so I'm asking the courts to put things right for us."... Click here for the full original article. 'I'm suing the Government for 1m' THE average man dreams of taking a high-handed Government to task - but the Harries are no average family. Their son James, 12, the "pint-sized prodigy" is possibly the world's youngest antiques dealer and recently published a book about jumble sales called Rags to Riches. He describes his bargain-hunting experiences from the age of four, such as when he bought a tin of old costume jewellery for �1 and found an �800 gold necklace inside. His TV appearances include Wogan and The Antiques Roadshow. Brother Adam, 15, a budding scientist "has surprised any schooling" says his mother. He illustrated and printed his brother's book after teaching himself desk-top publishing in three days. The book was published by the Harries family's own company. James and Adam left school two years ago because their parents didn't approve of the education system, and taught themselves supervised by their "educational consultant," prolific author the Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe. Their precocious brother Patrick, seven, may leave school next term. All three boys are brilliant, says their mother. Both parents come from Cardiff and learned the meaning of self-reliance early on. Mark Harries was raised in orphanages and left school at 15. Kaye Harries... Click here for the full original article. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Publication 3:

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
October 1, 1991

"1m economy lawsuit passes first court test"

A BUSINESSMAN won the first round yesterday of his High Court attempt to sue the Government for allegedly mishandling the economy. Mr. Mark Harries, 45, a Cardiff businessman who says he is going bankrupt, is claiming �1 million compensation from the Treasury over the way the Government has handled the county's "affairs, laws and assets". At a brief private hearing in London, High Court official Master Hodgson said the case was worthy of consideration. He refused an application by a Treasury solicitor for the action to be struck out. The case will go before a judge for a further preliminary hearing within three or four weeks. Mr Harries accuses the Government of: * Selling valuable public industries, such as water and the telephone service, at one quarter of their worth. * Creating a false economy in the 1980s and causing property prices to inflate at a time when he bought four properties on mortgage. * Not keeping proper control over the Bank of England so that interest rates almost doubled and he had difficulty keeping up payments on his mortgages. * Creating an economic climate in which demand for properties diminished dramatically, so that he was deprived of his collateral and was unable to borrow more money, to pay off creditors or diversify into other business. * Causing continual and increasing unemployment which deprived him of enough customers and money to use his services. * Causing him emotional stress owing to the danger of total business failure and subsequent "unemployment, penury and destitution". Mr. Harries, who was in court with his wife, Kaye, says he has no political affiliations and no personal animosity towards the government or any of its members. After the hearing, he said: "We are prepared to go the whole way to win the point. It will cost thousands of pounds, but it is a matter of principal." Mr. Harries said he had lost �250,000 on property and was unable to borrow money from his bank to pursue his latest business venture - a magazine aimed at helping people cope with the recession.

Publication 4:

SOUTH WALES ECHO
Monday 30th September 1991

"Government fails to stop �1m legal bid"

Publication 3                          Publication 4


Publication 5:

DAILY MIRROR
Tuesday, October 1, 1991

"BOSS WINS FIGHT TO SUE TORIES FOR 1M"


Publication 6:

TODAY (NEWSPAPER)
Tuesday October 1 1991

"Broke boss wins right to sue Major for �1m"

A COMPANY director is suing John Major's Government for �1 million, claiming it sent him to the verge of bankruptcy. Mark Harries says that "ministerial incompetence" has led to the failure of his three businesses causing him "great emotional stress". Yesterday High Court judge Mr Justice Hutchinson rejected a bid by Treasury solicitors to strike out the bid and gave the father-of-three the go-ahead to make his claim. Mr. Harries, 46, of Cardiff, is accusing the Government of creating a false economy in the 1980's leading to inflation, high interest rates and unemployment. As he left the High Court In London yesterday with his wife Kaye he said: "I have sued for �1 million because that is what my companies would have made. "I have had to close down three companies, a building business, a publishing company and a company sending luxury goods to customers by post. "I have already lost �250,000 and �500,000 has been slashed from the value of property I own. I have had to sack all my staff and unless I get compensation the next step for me is bankruptcy." He has issued a 10 point claims statement supporting his allegation that the Government has mishandled the country's affairs, laws and assets.

Publication 7:

Source Unknown
"Treasury fails to halt damages case"



Publication 8:

TIMES
"Bernard Levin cheers on a case
against the government's policies"

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