University Challenge student gets payout from Tory peer over antisemitism claim

A University Challenge student has accepted "substantial damages" from a Tory peer who falsely accused her of being antisemitic.

Baroness Jacqueline Foster made the claims after Melika Gorgianeh appeared on the programme in November.

She has apologised to Ms Gorgianeh on X, formerly Twitter, saying the allegations were "completely false".

The University of Oxford student said she had received death threats after the post was published.

In a now-deleted tweet in November 2023, Baroness Foster criticised Ms Gorgianeh for wearing what she said were the colours of the Palestinian flag and for the team's soft toy Octopus mascot, which she described as one of the most "disgusting antisemitic symbols," according to a statement by Rahman Lowe Solicitors - the law firm representing Ms Gorgianeh.

Jewish people were sometimes depicted as octopi in Nazi posters during World War Two.

In the November post, Baroness Foster called for Ms Gorgianeh to be "expelled" by her university and "arrested" by the police, the statement said.

Rahman Lowe said the allegations were made despite Ms Gorgianeh wearing a blue, orange, green and pink jacket, being part of a four-person team and the fact that the programme was recorded in March 2023, before the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war.

The Palestinian flag's colours are red, black, green and white.

Baroness Foster reiterated her apology for the post, saying: "I wrongly alleged that Ms Gorgianeh chose one of the most disgusting antisemitic symbols, a blue octopus as her team's mascot which I held her responsible for.

"I accept that these allegations were completely false and unfounded.

"I again deeply apologise to Ms Gorgianeh for these allegations and any distress caused to her... I have agreed to pay her substantial damages and costs."

Ms Gorgianeh said the allegations had had a "deeply damaging impact" on her life and she had felt "unsafe" to leave her house.

"I was a student appearing on my favourite TV quiz show. All of a sudden, lies told about me, and only me, led to me receiving death threats and to my mental health deteriorating," she said in a statement.

"Baroness Foster's posts, and the posts of others who are yet to be held to account, affected both myself and my family."

She added: "Words have consequences. And now, through her apology, Baroness Foster's words begin to have the consequence of healing the very real damage that had been done to me."

It comes after cabinet minister Michelle Donelan apologised to an academic after wrongly suggesting she supported Hamas, costing the taxpayer £15,000 in damages.