This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/feb/28/independent-lord-ashcroft-libel-pcc
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Independent did not inaccurately report Ashcroft libel battle, PCC rules | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Independent did not inaccurately report the end of a long-running libel battle with Lord Ashcroft, the Press Complaints Commission has ruled. | The Independent did not inaccurately report the end of a long-running libel battle with Lord Ashcroft, the Press Complaints Commission has ruled. |
| Ashcroft, the Conservative peer, complained that the Independent's story, headlined "Ashcroft drops High Court action after apology", wrongly suggested he had abandoned the libel action when, in fact, it had been settled. | Ashcroft, the Conservative peer, complained that the Independent's story, headlined "Ashcroft drops High Court action after apology", wrongly suggested he had abandoned the libel action when, in fact, it had been settled. |
| The three-year legal fight ended in November 2012 when Independent News & Media apologised at the high court to Ashcroft over articles that "did tend to link Lord Ashcroft's name with allegations of scandalous corruption", according to the joint statement read in open court. | |
| Ashcroft's claim was against the Independent's former owner, Independent News & Media, which sold the title to Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev in March 2010. | Ashcroft's claim was against the Independent's former owner, Independent News & Media, which sold the title to Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev in March 2010. |
| Ashcroft said the article on 5 December 2012 was unfair because it did not report INM's retraction in full and attempted to distance its present publisher, Independent Print Limited, from the libel claim. He also complained that the report was "excessively" delayed and was given insufficient prominence. | Ashcroft said the article on 5 December 2012 was unfair because it did not report INM's retraction in full and attempted to distance its present publisher, Independent Print Limited, from the libel claim. He also complained that the report was "excessively" delayed and was given insufficient prominence. |
| The PCC rejected each of Ashcroft's points. The watchdog concluded: "Noting that the newspaper properly discharged its obligations under the [PCC editor's] code, it did not uphold the complaint." | The PCC rejected each of Ashcroft's points. The watchdog concluded: "Noting that the newspaper properly discharged its obligations under the [PCC editor's] code, it did not uphold the complaint." |
| In a footnote to the ruling, the PCC said its chairman, Lord Hunt, took no part in discussing the complaint on conflict of interest grounds. Ashcroft sits on the Tory benches in the upper house with both Hunt and Lord Grade, the former televesion executive, who was also not involved in the complaint's handling. | In a footnote to the ruling, the PCC said its chairman, Lord Hunt, took no part in discussing the complaint on conflict of interest grounds. Ashcroft sits on the Tory benches in the upper house with both Hunt and Lord Grade, the former televesion executive, who was also not involved in the complaint's handling. |
| • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". | • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". |
| • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook | • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook |