Richard Burgon vs NGN
On 14th April 2017 this newspaper published an article relating to Richard Burgon MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice.
On 6th February 2019, Mr Justice Dingemans found in favour of a libel claim from Mr Burgon, though he dismissed Mr Burgon’s claim of malicious falsehood.
The article claimed that “Labour’s justice boss [has been] ridiculed after he joins a heavy metal band that delights in Nazi symbols.”
Mr Justice Dingemans found that the meaning of this article was that “Mr Burgon joined a band which as he knew took great pleasure in using Nazi symbols”; he also found that suggestion was false.
Mr Justice Dingemans found that the article was defamatory and awarded Mr Burgon £30,000 in damages.
We will be appealing the ruling.