A tweet by House of Commons speaker’s wife Sally Bercow about Conservative peer Lord McAlpine was libellous, the High Court in London ruled Friday.
Bercow wrote on Twitter: “Why is Lord McAlpine trending? *Innocent face*” two days after a Newsnight report last year wrongly implicated an unnamed leading Tory in allegations of sex abuse at a children’s home in Wales in the 1970s and 80s.
Bercow denied that the tweet was defamatory but lawyers for the former Conservative Party treasurer said it pointed “the finger of blame” at him amid intense speculation about who the report referred to.
In response to the judgement, Bercow said: “To say I’m surprised and disappointed by this is an understatement. However, I will accept the ruling as the end of the matter.
“I remain sorry for the distress I have caused Lord McAlpine and I repeat my apologies. I have accepted an earlier offer his lawyers made to settle this matter.”
Andrew Reid of McAlpine’s solicitors RMPI said Mr Justice Tugendhat’s ruling “provides both a warning to, and guidance for, people who use social media.”
“The apologies previously received from Mrs Bercow did not concede that her tweet was defamatory. Clearly she must now accept this fact,” he added.
“The failure of Mrs Bercow to admit that her tweet was defamatory caused considerable unnecessary pain and suffering to Lord McAlpine and his family over the past six months.”
Another hearing will be held at a later date to determine damages. McAlpine has already received six-figure payouts from the BBC and ITV.
Sally Bercow tweet on McAlpine was libellous: court
