Anna Turley libel case: Unite union applies to appeal

Anna Turley said the article was "false and defamatory"

A union has applied to appeal against a ruling it libelled a former Labour MP.

Anna Turley, who lost her Redcar seat in December, successfully sued Unite and the blogger Stephen Walker over an article on his Skwawkbox blog.

It made "false and defamatory" allegations and impugned her honesty, she said. She was awarded £75,000 damages after a High Court trial.

Unite has to show Court of Appeal judges it has an arguable case before they would permit an appeal.

'Serious harm'

Ms Turley had argued the 2017 article, which contained a press statement from Unite, gave the impression she had been dishonest in an application to join the union.

The article said she had wanted to vote against Unite general secretary Len McCluskey without the union knowing she was an MP, the High Court heard.

Mr Walker told the court Ms Turley was one of a "flood" of new members who had joined at a concessionary rate for which they were ineligible because they were employed.

The court heard she was willing to "conceal, mislead and deceive" and was not fit to be an MP.

However, in December Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in Ms Turley's favour, concluding publication had caused "serious harm" to her reputation.