Journalist wins free speech case against financier
A HIGH Court libel ruling made in favour of a Guardian journalist over a Brexitbacking businessman yesterday was hailed as a victory for free speech.
Arron Banks, pictured, who was a major donor to the Brexit campaign group Leave.EU, sued investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr for defamation.
He claimed she had told ‘lies’ about ‘his covert relationship with the Russian government’ in 2019. Miss Cadwalladr said she believed airing the comments had been in the public interest.
Journalism body The Society of Editors described the verdict as a ‘hugely important victory’ for Press freedom.
It said the case had ‘targeted [Miss Cadwalladr] personally’ and was one of a number of recent cases where ‘powerful and wealthy individuals have sought to use their authority to silence journalists and deter public interest reporting and investigative journalism’.
Mr Banks claimed the comments, made in an online talk that has been viewed by more than 5 million people since it was first broadcast in 2019, were
‘false and defamatory’. He had sought damages and an injunction to prevent continued publication of the remarks. But Mrs Justice Steyn yesterday found in Miss Cadwalladr’s favour, saying she had ‘reasonable grounds’ to think he ‘had been offered “sweetheart” deals’ by the Russian government’ in the run-up to Brexit, even though she had seen no evidence he had entered into such deals.
The judge also found the tweet had not caused ‘serious harm’ to his reputation. Mr Banks has indicated he may appeal.