News: Tesco calls for front page Guardian apology

Westcountryman · 13-05-2008, 06:08 AM

The legal battle between Tesco and the Guardian newspaper has intensified - with the retailer demanding a front-page apology.

The supermarket chain's latest demands follow a string of articles that ran alongside a "correction and clarification" published by the Guardian 10 days ago.

Tesco launched libel proceedings against the Guardian and its editor Alan Rusbridger last month after a series of pieces claimed Tesco could have avoided paying £1bn in tax - an allegation the paper has subsequently admitted was incorrect.

"The one paragraph 'correction and clarification' [is] utterly eclipsed and debased by the surrounding articles, including the disgracefully self-serving and misleading editorial on the same page," writes Tesco's solicitor Carter Ruck in a seven-page letter. "Your clients' behaviour is not just extraordinarily ill-judged but about as disreputable as any supposedly responsible newspaper's and editor's could be," adds the law firm.

Tesco is seeking special damages for libel and malicious falsehood from the Guardian, which lawyers say could result in a multi-million-pound payout.

A spokesman for the Guardian said: "We are surprised that Tesco should write in these terms and treat a legal letter like a press release since they well know our defence is due on Friday. We remain bewildered by the tactics of one of Britain's largest companies."

Carolyn McCall, the chief executive of Guardian Media Group (GMG), resigned as a non-executive of Tesco last month. City grandee and GMG chairman Paul Myners has also been dragged into the libel case.

Source: Tesco calls for front page Guardian apology - Telegraph

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Glad to see Tesco socking it to the Grauniad.

harryaldridge · 13-05-2008, 06:37 AM

One law I would quite like to see would be to require nespapers to publish apologies on the same scale as the original article. i.e. same page, and same amount of page space.

The current situation where they can print a small apology stuffed away in the middle of the paper in a small side column is not really good enough. If they were forced to waste valuable space thrashing themselves then they might take a little more care.

kernow · 13-05-2008, 11:58 AM

I'm not a great fan of Supermarkets(even those I use them)! I'm even less a fan of the Guardian! I hope Tesco really hammer it!

eublues · 13-05-2008, 12:21 PM

Don't like the Guardian but from reports in Private Eye Tesco is a big-time bully.

mkpdavies · 13-05-2008, 03:08 PM

Go Tesco. Kick their sniveling commie asses.

13-05-2008, 06:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
Westcountryman Uber Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Westcountry. Posts: 5,693 Party: Libertarian Party	Tesco calls for front page Guardian apology The legal battle between Tesco and the Guardian newspaper has intensified - with the retailer demanding a front-page apology. The supermarket chain's latest demands follow a string of articles that ran alongside a "correction and clarification" published by the Guardian 10 days ago. Tesco launched libel proceedings against the Guardian and its editor Alan Rusbridger last month after a series of pieces claimed Tesco could have avoided paying £1bn in tax - an allegation the paper has subsequently admitted was incorrect. "The one paragraph 'correction and clarification' [is] utterly eclipsed and debased by the surrounding articles, including the disgracefully self-serving and misleading editorial on the same page," writes Tesco's solicitor Carter Ruck in a seven-page letter. "Your clients' behaviour is not just extraordinarily ill-judged but about as disreputable as any supposedly responsible newspaper's and editor's could be," adds the law firm. Tesco is seeking special damages for libel and malicious falsehood from the Guardian, which lawyers say could result in a multi-million-pound payout. A spokesman for the Guardian said: "We are surprised that Tesco should write in these terms and treat a legal letter like a press release since they well know our defence is due on Friday. We remain bewildered by the tactics of one of Britain's largest companies." Carolyn McCall, the chief executive of Guardian Media Group (GMG), resigned as a non-executive of Tesco last month. City grandee and GMG chairman Paul Myners has also been dragged into the libel case. Source: Tesco calls for front page Guardian apology - Telegraph __________________________________________________ _ Glad to see Tesco socking it to the Grauniad. __________________ Anyone who supports 42 days pre-charge detention should read this: 42-day detention: the threat to our liberty \| John Major - Times Online and this: Why David Davis is right to make a stand \| Mail Online

13-05-2008, 06:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
harryaldridge Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Sussex Posts: 1,869	One law I would quite like to see would be to require nespapers to publish apologies on the same scale as the original article. i.e. same page, and same amount of page space. The current situation where they can print a small apology stuffed away in the middle of the paper in a small side column is not really good enough. If they were forced to waste valuable space thrashing themselves then they might take a little more care. __________________ http://vindicovindico.blogspot.com Zopa

13-05-2008, 03:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,615	Go Tesco. Kick their sniveling commie asses. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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13-05-2008, 11:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
kernow Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 4,606	I'm not a great fan of Supermarkets(even those I use them)! I'm even less a fan of the Guardian! I hope Tesco really hammer it!

13-05-2008, 12:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,925	Don't like the Guardian but from reports in Private Eye Tesco is a big-time bully.