LONDON (AP) — Billionaire vacuum cleaner tycoon James Dyson lost a libel lawsuit Friday against the Daily Mirror for a column that suggested he was a hypocrite who “screwed” Britain by moving his company's headquarters to Singapore after supporting the U.K.'s breakup with the European Union.
A High Court judge in London said the article was opinion and rejected Dyson's claims that it was a “vicious and vitriolic” personal attack that damaged his reputation and harmed his philanthropic work encouraging young people to become engineers.
“Mr Reade was not attempting to offer a window into or shine a light on the claimant’s thought processes or motivation," Justice Robert Jay wrote.
"Rather, the ‘screwed his country etc.’ remark was Mr. Reade’s ‘take’ on how people would or might envisage the claimant’s actions.”The judge said Reade hadn't accused Dyson of dishonesty and had wide latitude to offer honest comment “however wounding and unbalanced” it may have been.
Mirror Group Newspapers welcomed the judgment for upholding "the rights of our columnists to share honestly held opinions, even about powerful or wealthy individuals.”A Dyson spokesperson issued a statement defending its commitments to the U.K., including the employment of 3,700 people, but making no mention of the lawsuit outcome.
Persons:
James Dyson, Dyson's, Brian Reade, Dyson, “, ” Dyson, Reade, “ Mr Reade, Robert Jay, Reade’s, ”, Reade hadn't
Organizations:
—, Daily, European Union, Sunday Times, Group Newspapers
Locations:
Singapore, London