George Galloway aide accepts damages in libel case

A former aide to George Galloway has accepted undisclosed damages from the Respect Party leader over claims she conspired to run a dirty tricks campaign against him.

Aisha Ali-Khan brought libel proceedings after Mr Galloway published a statement on his website in October 2012.

Her solicitor, Mark Lewis, told Mr Justice Warby in London’s High Court it stated a very senior officer in SO15 (Counter Terrorism Command) had been feeding disinformation aimed at damaging him to a national newspaper and others and the officer had been aided by a member of sta ff.

Mr Lewis said yesterday Mr Galloway stated that this conduct involved them using the officer’s Metropolitan Police email account as well as creating two false email addresses to spread deceit.

“Four days later, the defendant’s spokesman substantially repeated the claims to the Mail on Sunday which published an article stating the claimant and the officer had conspired to run a dirty tricks campaignagainst the defendant and the Respect Party; that the claimant had been used as a police agent; and that the claimant had slept with the officer at the defendant’s home.”

Mr Galloway’s counsel, Adam Speker, said he accepted the article and interviews given by individuals for whom he bore responsibility in relation to Ms Ali-Khan contained defamatory accusations for which he apologised.