An enjoyable spat has broken out between Independent columnist Johann Hari and right-wing historian Andrew Roberts in the pages of the US political mag, The New Republic.
Hari describes Roberts as a “little known British historian†and “a caricature of a caricature of the old imperial historians†who “sucks up to the English aristocracy†and “lauds the British Empire ‒ and its massacres and suppressions ‒ as ‘glorious’ on every occasionâ€.
Responding in The New Republic, Roberts describes Hari as “despicable and cowardlyâ€.
And picking up on one point raised by Hari he says: “He knows that, if he called me a white supremacist in a British publication, I would sue him for libel and doubtless take tens of thousands of pounds off him for the entirely undeserved slur.â€
Related
Axegrinder read the whole thing online which means, of course that, legally speaking, it has been “published†in the UK.
So will Roberts now sue?
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
