The image shows Arron Banks, a British businessman and political donor, who has won a libel appeal against journalist Carole Cadwalladr.
The case stems from a tweet by Cadwalladr in 2019, in which she accused Banks of being a “Russian spy” and of using “dirty Russian money” to fund the Brexit campaign.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the tweet was defamatory, and that Cadwalladr had failed to provide evidence to support her claims.
Cadwalladr, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the Cambridge Analytica scandal, had argued that her tweet was “fair comment” and that Banks was a public figure who had willingly put himself in the public eye.
However, the Court of Appeal refuse this argument, saying that Cadwalladr had failed to show that her comments were based on facts rather than speculation.
The ruling is a victory for Banks, who had previously called Cadwalladr’s accusations “bizarre, crazy and completely untrue”. Speaking after the verdict, Banks said that he had been “vindicated” and that he would be seeking damages from Cadwalladr.
He also accused her of being part of a “fake news industry” that was seeking to undermine democracy.
The case has highlighted the ongoing debate around the role of journalists in holding powerful individuals and organizations to account.
While many have praised Cadwalladr for her reporting on Cambridge Analytica and her investigation into the funding of the Brexit campaign, others have accused her of being biased and of spreading false information.
The ruling will likely have a chilling effect on journalists and their ability to report on powerful individuals and organizations.
It also raises questions about the future of press freedom in the UK, at a time when the government is considering new laws to regulate online speech and combat disinformation.
Finally, the Court of Appeal’s ruling in favour of Arron Banks in his libel appeal against Carole Cadwalladr is a significant victory for the businessman and political donor.
