Helen Clark, the Labour Member of Parliament for Peterborough, succeeded in a libel action against the Daily Express over allegations that she dishonoured a promise in the Labour manifesto not to introduce top up fees by voting against a Liberal Democrat motion opposing their introduction. Mr Justice Tugendhat found in Mrs Clark’s favour and made a declaration that the Daily Express articles were false and defamatory of her. He also ordered the publication of an apology in the Daily Express and awarded Mrs Clark £5,000 in damages.
Press Release
Helen Clark MP and Express Newspapers
27 February 2004
Helen Clark, the Labour Member of Parliament for Peterborough, today won a libel action in the High Court against the Daily Express.
In articles published in July last year, the newspaper had accused Mrs Clark of dishonouring a promise in the Labour manifesto not to introduce top up fees by voting against a Liberal Democrat motion opposing their introduction. In fact Mrs Clark is adamantly opposed to top up fees and she is one of the Labour MPs who voted against the Government bill in January.
In court today, the judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, found in Mrs Clark’s favour and made a declaration that the Daily Express articles were false and defamatory of her. He also ordered the publication of an apology in the Daily Express and awarded Mrs Clark £5,000 in damages together with her legal costs. Express Newspapers also apologised to Mrs Clark in court today, through their counsel.
Mrs Clark said: “I am very pleased that these proceedings have now concluded and that the judge found that the articles were false and defamatory of me. I have always made my stance in relation to the introduction of top up fees clear: I am opposed to them as a matter of principle and I will continue to demonstrate that opposition including when the bill comes before the House of Commons again next month for the third reading.”
Enquiries to Ruth Collard at Carter-Ruck, Tel: 020 7353 5005.
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