High Court: Sally Bercow's Lord McAlpine tweet was libel

A tweet by Sally Bercow about Lord McAlpine has been ruled libellous by the High Court.

Mrs Bercow, the wife of Commons Speaker John Bercow, published a tweet two days after a BBC Newsnight programme had wrongly implicated a "leading Conservative politician" in sex abuse.

Amid widespread speculation about his identity, she wrote: "Why is Lord McAlpine trending. *innocent face*."

Mrs Bercow said she was "surprised and disappointed" by the ruling.

A subsequent High Court hearing will determine the damages she must pay.

Clive Coleman reports.