Tim Yeo loses ‘cash-for-advocacy’ libel case against Sunday Times


The news seems to be full of Parliamentarians – or ex-Parliamentarians – involved in sleaze of some sort at the moment. Here’s the latest example:

Former Tory MP Tim Yeo has lost his libel action over a “cash-for-advocacy” claim which he said trashed his reputation.

Yeo had asked for substantial compensation over three reports in the Sunday Times, in June 2013, which followed a lunch the previous month with two undercover journalists from the Insight team posing as representatives for a solar energy concern in the Far East.

They alleged that he was prepared to, and had offered to, act in a way that was in breach of the Commons code of conduct by acting as a paid parliamentary advocate who would push for new laws to benefit the business of a client for a daily fee of £7,000 and approach ministers, civil servants and other MPs to promote a client’s private agenda in return for cash.

They also contained comment to the effect that he had shown willing to abuse his position to further his own financial and business interests.

Times Newspapers Ltd said that the articles were true, it was fair comment and also responsible journalism on matters of public interest.

Yeo was not at London’s high court on Wednesday when Mr Justice Warby dismissed his case.

He has agreed to pay Times Newspapers £411,000 on account of its legal fees within 28 days, with any further costs to be assessed on the indemnity basis.

Source: Tim Yeo loses ‘cash-for-advocacy’ libel case against Sunday Times | Media | The Guardian

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6 Comments

  1. Dez November 25, 2015 at 1:06 pm - Reply

    Good result/decision…….This type of covert £obbying is really destroying honest parliamentary good practice. To much notice is being taken of those bearing in gifts rather than good honest information and research who can barely get an audience with the policy makers. Powerful GMO, Sugar, Commercial interests and lobbying are making the running against the interests and health of the population

  2. Di ane November 25, 2015 at 1:20 pm - Reply

    yay I’ve hated him since I was a single parent in the 1980s and back then unmarried/single
    mothers were demonised ‘skivers’.

    The demonisation of single parents was really bad until Cecil Parkinson and Yeo knocked up their mistresses. When questioned by a reporter about his [love] child he sneered:

    “My child will never be on welfare”

    Suffice to say: Tory hypocrisy has no bounds!

  3. NMac November 25, 2015 at 1:48 pm - Reply

    Good.

  4. Thomas November 25, 2015 at 3:02 pm - Reply

    I heard the Conservatives are making it that newspapers will still have to pay their own legal costs if they are sued, even if the newspapers win the libel costs.

    • Dez November 25, 2015 at 4:22 pm - Reply

      Only the Cons would think that one up….probably because they will be the most litigious having failed to legally gag the press. Losers.

  5. tavascarow November 25, 2015 at 4:56 pm - Reply

    The man responsible for getting Spasticus Artisticus banned on the BBC when he was shadow disability minister.
    Lowlife tory scum.

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