Former MSP's defamation claim dismissed.

31 March 2010

An action raised by former MSP Frances Curran has been dismissed following debate. Ms Curran complained that she had been defamed by comments made by her former colleague in the Scottish Socialist Party, Tommy Sheridan, following his success in his own highly publicised defamation trial. Those comments had been published by the Scottish Daily Record newspaper, whom Ms Curran sued for damages. Temporary Lord Ordinary Wise QC has dismissed the claim, ruling that (a) the comments made by Mr Sheridan were within the generous ambit afforded to criticism of politicians; and (b) in any event, the comments made were covered by qualified privilege, since Mr Sheridan was entitled to respond via the press to serious allegations which Ms Curran and other members of the SSP had made against him.

The full judgment is available at
http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2010CSOH44.html.

Roddy Dunlop of Axiom Advocates appeared for the defending newspaper.