Craig Murray

[[File:Craig Murray.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Murray speaking in 2007]]
{{conspiracynav|1}}
'''Craig Murray''' {{lived|1958}} is a former [[British]] diplomat and blogger who divides opinion. Murray is considered an expert on international affairs by his followers but is otherwise considered a [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theorist]] with traces of [[antisemitism]]. He contributes to his own blog at CraigMurray.com but also for other [[fringe]] publications such as ''The Truth Seeker'' and has published a memoir, ''Murder in Samarkand'' (2006).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/aug/12/politics Review: Murder in Samarkand], David Leigh, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 12 August 2006</ref><ref name=ts2018/> This book was adapted by David Hare for [[BBC]] Radio Four, starring David Tennant as Murray.

Murray is a defender of [[Julian Assange]] and has some unorthodox views on sex. He is the originator of conspiracy theories, having claimed the British state are trying to silence him.

Born in Norfolk in 1958,<ref name=wp/> the peak of his diplomatic career was his appointment in 2002 as British ambassador to [[Uzbekistan]]. He was removed from the job in 2004 and has claimed this was because he was of his criticism of human rights violations by the Uzbek government.<ref name=wp>{{wpa|Craig Murray}}</ref>

==Ideas==
Murray has argued that Britain's voting system is corrupt and fraudulent and election results are not to be trusted. He has raised concerns about the increasing use of postal votes.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/08/craig-murray-general-election British democracy: no better than Uzbekistan's], Craig Murray, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 8 April 2008</ref> 

Murray disputed whether [[Russia]] was responsible for the 2018 [[Weapons of mass destruction|chemical weapons]] attack in Salisbury, England.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/15/uks-claims-questioned-doubts-emerge-about-source-of-salisburys-novichok UK's claims questioned: doubts voiced about source of Salisbury novichok], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 15 Mar 2018</ref><ref name=ts2018>[http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=167281 The Novichok Story Is Indeed Another Iraqi WMD Scam], Craig Murray, The Truth Seeker, 15 March 2018</ref> Instead, he speculated [[Israel]] may have been responsible and on Twitter suggested that the parliamentary group Labour Friends of Israel were involved in a cover-up to attribute blame to Russia.<ref>[http://hurryupharry.org/2018/03/15/craig-murray-goes-conspiracy-theory-again/ Craig Murray Goes Conspiracy Again!], Harry's Place, March 15 2018</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/CraigMurrayOrg/status/974192978574094337] CraigMurrayOrg on Twitter, 7:58 AM - 15 Mar 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/03/russian-to-judgement/ Russian To Judgement], Craig Murray, Mar 13, 2018</ref>

==Legal disputes==
In 2007, his blog was shut down in the UK by lawyers for Uzbek business magnate and football fan {{wpl|Alisher Usmanov||,}} and in 2008 he was the subject of legal action from "private security contractor" Tim Spicer over a book he was yet to publish.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jul/15/civilliberties.medialaw A national disgrace, a global menace, and a pre-democratic anachronism], George Monbiot, ''The Guardian'', 15 July 2008</ref>

In 2017, he was sued for libel by Jake Wallis Simons, then associate editor of the ''[[Daily Mail]] Online''.<ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/09/save-craig-murray/ Save Craig Murray], Craig Murray, 6 September 2017</ref> The offending article was taken down but seems to have been connected with allegations of [[antisemitism]] in the British [[Labour Party]]. The case was settled in November 2017 with a statement that "Mr Murray accepts that Dr Wallis Simons is not a [[liar]], and Dr Wallis Simons accepts that Mr Murray is not an anti-Semite. They are both pleased to have resolved this dispute amicably."<ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/11/the-end-of-the-affair/ The End of the Affair], Craig Murray, 7 November 2017</ref>

Murray supports [[Scottish independence]]. It is claimed by devotees of Scottish Nationalist conspiracy theories that he is being targeted by [[the powers that be]] as part of a wider scheme to destroy the independence movement.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/6yfh9t/save_craig_murray_former_uk_ambassador_and_dundee/ 'Save Craig Murray' — former UK Ambassador and Dundee Uni rector being sued by the Daily Mail for libel], Reddit, 2017</ref>

Murray was charged with contempt of court for material contained in his blogs in the run-up and during the trial of [[Alex Salmond]], the former Scottish First Minister, for sexual assault and attempted rape in 2020. Salmond was acquitted. Murray was accused of trying to influence the jury via "jigsaw" identification of the complainants, i.e. providing sufficient information to allow the women to be identified. He was found guilty in 2021 and sentenced to 8 months imprisonment.<ref>[https://www.thenational.scot/news/19176985.craig-murray-loses-contempt-court-case-reports-alex-salmond-trial/ Craig Murray loses contempt of court case over reports of Alex Salmond trial], The National, 22 March 2021 (paywalled)</ref> After an appeal to the Supreme Court failed, Murray turned himself over to the police in Edinburgh at the beginning of August 2021.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58047830 "Alex Salmond trial blogger hands himself in to police"] BBC News, August 1, 2021</ref> After serving four months, he was released on November 30.<ref>[https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19751386.alex-salmond-trial-blogger-craig-murray-freed-prison/ "Alex Salmond trial blogger Craig Murray freed from prison"], The Herald (Glasgow), November 30, 2021 (paywalled)</ref>

==Antisemitism or anti-Zionism==
Murray blames Israel for many things well beyond the oppression of the [[Palestinian]]s (see above), while a book collecting his writings in this area was entitled ''Zionism is Bullshit: Selected Speeches, Interviews and Writings: Volume 1''<ref>''Zionism is Bullshit: Selected Speeches, Interviews and Writings: Volume 1 (Collected Political Works of Craig Murray)'', Craig Murray, ed Kirsten E MacDonald, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 23 June 2017</ref> Because of this habit, he has been accused by sources other than Wallis Simons of associating with and defending anti-semites.<ref>[https://ukmediawatch.org/2018/03/18/guardian-legitimises-craig-murrays-anti-israel-conspiracy-theory-on-russian-spy-poisoning/ Guardian legitimises Craig Murray's anti-Israel conspiracy theory on Russian spy poisoning], UK Media Watch, 18 March 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/04/anti-racist-comments-israel/ My Anti-Racist Comments on Israel], Craig Murray, 29 April 2016</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/supergutman/status/912738445574967297], Marlon Solomon (supergutman) on Twitter, 26 Sep 2017</ref> On his blog in March 2018, Murray wrote about the poisoning of former Russian double-agent {{wpl|Sergei Skripal|Sergei Skripal}} and his daughter in Salisbury, England. Murray asserted "Israel has a clear motivation for damaging the Russian reputation so grievously" rather than Russia itself (later identified as the perpetrator). He also tweeted a thesis of the hidden hand type of antisemitism: "Remarkable correlation between Labour MPs who attacked [[Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn]] in {{wpl|Early day motion|EDM}} wanting no investigation into Salisbury before firmly attributing blame, and parliamentary Labour friends of Israel, I wonder why?"<ref>[https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2018/03/how-conspiracy-theories-about-salisbury-attack-tap-antisemitic-tropes "How conspiracy theories about the Salisbury attack tap into antisemitic tropes"], Danny Stone, New Statesman, 23 March 2018/9 September 2021</ref>

Murray has said the use of term "antisemitic" has become overused as a slur or way of shutting down criticism of Israel, comparing attacks on critics of the Jewish state to [[McCarthyism]] and calling Israel an "apartheid state".<ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/04/the-new-mccarthyism-the-anti-semitism-hysteria-gripping-the-uk/ The New McCarthyism – The "Anti-Semitism" Hysteria Gripping the UK], Craig Murray, CraigMurray.com</ref> He has also defended [[Ken Livingstone]] against the allegations of anti-semitism.<ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/04/ken-livingstone-stubborn-wrong-not-anti-semitic/ Ken Livingstone: Stubborn and Wrong, But Not Anti-Semitic], Craig Murray, 5 April 2017</ref>

Murray has used "[[Zionism|Zionist]]" as an indiscriminate insult for his enemies, throwing the label at [[Christopher Hitchens]], [[Nick Cohen]] and [[Melanie Phillips]] (in a 2011 blog post celebrating [[Christopher Hitchens]]' then-recent death).<ref>[https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2011/12/christopher-hitchens-rip/ Christopher Hitchens RIP], Craig Murray, 16 December 2011</ref><ref>[https://cst.org.uk/news/blog/2011/12/20/hitchens-and-the-anti-zionists "Hitchens and the anti-Zionists"], Dave Rich, Community Support Trust, 20 Dec 2011</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

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[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]

Categories: Living people, Authors, Conspiracy theorists