Fayed wins in High Court

MOHAMED AL FAYED, owner of Harrods, has won permission to challenge the Home Secretary's decision to refuse him a British passport.

Mr Justice Collins, sitting in the High Court in London yesterday, accepted Mr Fayed's legal argument that he should be allowed to present a full- blown case against Jack Straw's decision. The judge said Mr Fayed's challenge should be heard before the end of the year. He has been seeking a British passport since 1994.

Mr Fayed's lawyers, led by his barrister, Michael Beloff QC, argued that Mr Straw reached a wrong and unfair decision when he denied the Egyptian- born multi-millionaire British citizenship. Mr Beloff added that Mr Straw had not reached the decision with "an open mind".

Mr Fayed's application was turned down after Mr Straw ruled he was not of the necessary "good character".