View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Publishers
  2. Magazines
October 8, 2008

Country Life magazine in libel payout to Barbados MP

By PA Mediapoint

The former deputy prime minister of Barbados accepted substantial libel damages over a suggestion in Country Life that she had assaulted another woman.

Mia Amor Mottley, a QC and MP who is now leader of the Barbados Labour Party, had brought proceedings in London’s High Court over an article in the April issue of the magazine.

Her solicitor-advocate, David Price, told Mr Justice Eady that it referred to a Barbadian calypso song which suggested that she had assaulted another woman.

“The truth is that, contrary to the article, the claimant has never assaulted anyone in the manner described in the article or indeed at all.

“Unknown to the defendant, the suggestion of assault made in the calypso song was based on a totally unfounded rumour designed to smear the claimant as a senior female politician in the Caribbean and Commonwealth.”

Price said that Mottley was deeply hurt and embarrassed by the article, which was extremely damaging to her reputation.

Publisher IPC Media had apologised and had agreed to pay her substantial damages and her legal costs.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Its solicitor-advocate, Paul Fox, said that it accepted that the allegations were false and should not have been published.

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network