Within the past hour, Carter-Ruck, Trafigura's legal firm, dropped the gag on the Guardian for reporting on a Parliamentary question that reveals the existence of a secret injunction against the media to prevent reportage on Trafigura's dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast.

The question can now be made public. Labour MP Paul Farrelly put down a question yesterday to the justice secretary, Jack Straw. It asked about the injunction obtained by "Trafigura and Carter-Ruck solicitors on 11 September 2009 on the publication of the Minton Report on the alleged dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast, commissioned by Trafigura".

Whether the lifting of the gag was a response to the massive public uproar primarily heard and raised through the blogosphere and Twitter (#Trafigura) is a matter of speculation.

The Guardian was due to appear at the High Court at 2pm today to challenge the ban.

UPDATE: Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger has thanked Twitter supporters on his Twitter feed.

Source: MediaGuardian