LONDON: GB News presenter Alex Armstrong and social media commentator Bernadette Spofforth have agreed to pay substantial damages to Mothin Ali, deputy leader of the Green Party, over false claims that he took part in riots in Leeds in 2024.
Both defendants apologized to Ali at the High Court in London on Friday after he sued them for defamation over social media posts alleging he had participated in the unrest.
Samantha Thompson, representing Armstrong and Spofforth, told the court that both apologized for the serious harm caused to Ali’s reputation and the distress he had suffered.
Ali, a member of Leeds City Council, attended the anti-police Harehills riots in July 2024 to help emergency services and call for calm, the court heard. Separately, West Yorkshire Police are investigating threatening messages reportedly sent to him following allegations he attended a rally in support of the Iranian government.
Ali, who has served as deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2025, said he received death threats on social media after the claims circulated.
He has also demanded apologies from the former prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke over comments made in...
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