Sir James Dyson loses libel claim against Daily Mirror publisher

Sir James told court the article was "a personal attack on all that I have done and achieved in my lifetime"

Sir James Dyson has lost his libel claim against the publisher of the Daily Mirror.

The inventor was suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for libel over an article published in January 2022.

Sir James told court the article was "a personal attack on all that I have done and achieved in my lifetime and is highly distressing and hurtful".

Mr Justice Jay dismissed the claims. MGN said the judgement upheld "the right of columnists" to share opinions.

Mr Justice Jay said: "In the present case the claimant cannot demonstrate that he has suffered financial loss as a result of these publications.

"Nor can he show that his philanthropic work, particularly directed to young people and schools, has been harmed in any way."

The article, by Brian Reade, referred to Sir James as "the vacuum-cleaner tycoon who championed Vote Leave due to the economic opportunities it would bring to British industry before moving his global head office to Singapore".

Dyson has a UK headquarters at Malmesbury in Wiltshire

Mr Reade continued: "Kids, talk the talk but then screw your country and if anyone complains, tell them to suck it up."

During the two-day trial, Justin Rushbrooke KC, for Sir James, said in written submissions that the articles, both in print and online, "constituted a serious and unjustified slur on Sir James's reputation, business and personal".

However, MGN defended the claim, including by arguing that Mr Reade's article was "honest opinion".

Adrienne Page KC, for MGN, said the words in the article were "substantially correct" and that Sir James could not dictate how the commentator posed them.

Following the decision, an MGN spokesperson said: "We welcome today's judgment which upholds the rights of our columnists to share honestly held opinions, even about powerful or wealthy individuals."

Following the verdict, a Dyson spokesperson said: "The facts are that Dyson is a highly successful global technology company which employs 3,700 people in the UK, paid more UK Corporation Tax after 2019 than before, continues to invest vast sums in the UK [and] files more patents than any other company."

The statement added the firm "founded a university in Malmesbury which has educated hundreds of undergraduates who pay no tuition fees while earning a salary and even paying tax".

Sir James set up his Dyson Ltd company in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, in 1993 and has since opened bases at Hullavington Airfield in Wiltshire, as well as Bristol city centre.