Brit minister sues Murdoch’s The Sun over police slur story
30 March 2013 7:10 AM IST
Rupert Murdoch’s News International has found itself in another legal battle as a former British minister is suing The Sun tabloid over reports claiming he called police officers ‘plebs’, costing him his job.
Andrew Mitchell, 57, who was forced to resign from the Cabinet last year following the news reports, has repeatedly denied the claims. The Conservative party MP had insisted he had been a victim of a deliberate campaign to ‘toxify’ his party and ruin his career.
Mitchell had admitted there was an ill-tempered exchange with officers after being told he could not ride his bicycle through the gates of Downing Street, but insists he did not use derogatory words attributed to him such as ‘plebs’, which led the incident being branded as the ‘plebgate’ affair in the British media.
He on Friday confirmed that his lawyers had issued a libel writ against The Sun, which first ran the story. ‘I can confirm that I recently issued proceedings for libel against the owners of The Sun on behalf of Andrew Mitchell MP. There are a number of other potential actions being considered but I do not intend commenting any further at this stage,’ Mitchell’s lawyer Graham Atkins said.
Murdoch’s News International, owner of The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, is already facing court action in a phone-hacking scandal and has given payouts to public figures.
Andrew Mitchell, 57, who was forced to resign from the Cabinet last year following the news reports, has repeatedly denied the claims. The Conservative party MP had insisted he had been a victim of a deliberate campaign to ‘toxify’ his party and ruin his career.
Mitchell had admitted there was an ill-tempered exchange with officers after being told he could not ride his bicycle through the gates of Downing Street, but insists he did not use derogatory words attributed to him such as ‘plebs’, which led the incident being branded as the ‘plebgate’ affair in the British media.
He on Friday confirmed that his lawyers had issued a libel writ against The Sun, which first ran the story. ‘I can confirm that I recently issued proceedings for libel against the owners of The Sun on behalf of Andrew Mitchell MP. There are a number of other potential actions being considered but I do not intend commenting any further at this stage,’ Mitchell’s lawyer Graham Atkins said.
Murdoch’s News International, owner of The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, is already facing court action in a phone-hacking scandal and has given payouts to public figures.
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