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If Paul Dacre is made chair of Ofcom he will be responsible for standards in UK broadcasting. So how is he doing in his current job as Editor-in-Chief of Associated Newspapers? Well, Associated is currently losing legal actions over bad journalism at an extraordinary rate. 1/8
Today it settled a case brought by Prince Harry in which the Mail on Sunday falsely accused him of turning his back on responsibilities to the Marines. This could have been avoided if they had simply put the allegations to the Prince, but they didn't. 2/8 https://www.bylineinvestigates.com/mail/2021/2/1/breaking-prince-harry-seals-libel-victory-blasts-mail-on-sunday
Newspapers in the group, and MailOnline have also settled or lost a string of other cases in recent weeks, including:
Paying significant damages to a former Labour candidate for falsely suggesting she assisted Holocaust seniors. 3/8 https://skwawkbox.org/2021/01/10/exclusive-mail-pays-significant-damages-and-prints-apology-to-labour-candidate-smeared-as-helping-holocaust-deniers/
Paying significant damages to a former Labour candidate for falsely suggesting she assisted Holocaust seniors. 3/8 https://skwawkbox.org/2021/01/10/exclusive-mail-pays-significant-damages-and-prints-apology-to-labour-candidate-smeared-as-helping-holocaust-deniers/
Earlier, Associated had lost a court case and paid £83,000 damages to a Sussex man for breach of confidence and misuse of private information by MailOnline. 4/8
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2020/3541.html
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2020/3541.html
Before that, there was a payment of £100,000 damages to the Dysons for false allegations about their treatment of a housekeeper. 5/8 https://inforrm.org/2020/12/10/news-statement-in-open-court-daily-mail-pays-100000-damages-to-sir-james-and-lady-dyson-over-false-housekeeper-allegations/
And the case of the Cambridge academic falsely accused of inciting race war: 6/8 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/nov/13/daily-mail-pays-25000-to-professor-it-falsely-accused-of-inciting-race-war-priyamvada-gopal-fake-tweets
Not to forget allegations against a couple of bullying, harassment, discrimination and 'leaking classified information' – all of which the Mail on Sunday had to admit were untrue. The statement in open court was a week ago. 7/8 https://www.geo.tv/latest/332469-british-pakistani-cagefighter-and-wife-win-defamation-case
This catalogue of wrongdoing over just 10 weeks is probably not complete. Now, no one could suggest that the editor-in-chief was personally responsible for each of them, but Dacre, as boss, surely has to take some of the responsibility. It does not augur well for Ofcom. 8/8
