Cherie Blair has won “substantial damages” from the News of the World.
Her payout comes as the paper fights against Formula One boss Max Mosley’s claim for exemplary damages in the High Court over alleged breach of privacy in relation to a story and video claiming he took part in a “Nazi-theme” orgy.
Last week the tabloid made a public apology at the High Court and paid substantial damages to model Jordan and her husband Peter Andre after claiming in a front page story that they were bad parents.
Cherie Blair sued via solicitors Atkins after the NoW reported that she was conducting a secret feud with Sarah Brown, the wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The NoW has published an apology accepting the article was wrong and has agreed to pay her what Atkins said were “substantial damages”.
Denzil Gunner from Atkins said: “It is vital on a number of levels for public figures and celebrities to take action in relation to wholly false and libellous stories about them. Not only does this ensure that clients succeed in repairing the damage to their reputations but, significantly, limits publication of the damaging material.”
A spokeswoman for the News of the World said: “As most people know this case was settled several weeks ago and an apology to Ms Blair was published in the News of the World on 29 June 2008 which also made it clear that she had been paid damages.
“We are mystified as to why Mr Gunner should choose to announce this very old news to the world today unless it is because there is a credit crunch and solicitors are keen to find new clients.”
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