Actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox has lost a High Court libel case against two individuals he labeled as paedophiles on social media. The lawsuit was filed by former Stonewall trustee
Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal after Fox's comments on X (formerly Twitter) during a discussion about Sainsbury's decision to commemorate Black History Month.
High Court judge Mrs. Justice Collins Rice deemed Fox's remarks as "harmful, defamatory, and baseless." She emphasized that Fox failed to demonstrate the truth of these allegations, stating that "the law provides few defenses to defamation of this nature."
Crystal, whose real name is Colin Seymour, revealed in written evidence that he endured "overwhelming and distressing" abuse following Fox's tweet. He expressed feeling less secure as a drag performer due to Fox's unfounded accusations. Simon Blake, now the CEO of Mental Health First Aid England, highlighted the harmful stereotype perpetuated by Fox's suggestion that gay men are paedophiles.
In response, Fox, founder of the Reclaim Party, indicated plans to appeal the decision. He also counter-sued Blake and Seymour over tweets accusing him of racism. However, the judge did not rule on whether describing Fox as "a racist" was "substantially true," finding the counter-claim tweets unlikely to cause serious harm to his reputation.
Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Fox dismissed the ruling in his libel case as a "nothing burger" and announced an intention to appeal for a clearer definition of the term "racist."
Crystal expressed relief at the outcome, emphasizing that Fox could have resolved the matter with a meaningful apology and settlement. The drag artist hoped the case would contribute to combating the ongoing demonization of queer individuals.
Nicola Thorp, a broadcaster also targeted by Fox's lawsuit, commented on X, stating that Fox should acknowledge that any damage to his reputation is his own doing.
Laurence Fox, known for his acting roles, recently faced controversy and was dismissed from his GB News show over comments made on air about a female journalist. Despite this, Fox has been actively involved in politics, unsuccessfully running for London mayor in 2021 and participating in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election in June. Photo by Bjørn Erik Pedersen, Wikimedia commons.