Tory MP apologises to Jeremy Corbyn for 'seriously defamatory' tweet

A Tory MP has apologised and pledged to make a substantial donation to charity over a "seriously defamatory" tweet claiming Jeremy Corbyn had sold British secrets to communist spies.

Ben Bradley, who represents Mansfield, has now deleted the tweet from February 19.

The Labour Party said Mr Bradley would also be meeting the party leader's legal costs, and had agreed never to repeat the allegations.

Mr Bradley tweeted his apology over the "wholly untrue and false" statement, and said he would make a donation to a charity of the Labour leader's choice.

A spokesperson for the Labour Party said Mr Corbyn had decided to split the donation between a homeless charity and a foodbank in Mr Bradley’s constituency of Mansfield.

They continued that they were "pleased" that Mr Bradley had admitted what he had said was untrue.

"Following the botched smear campaign against Jeremy, this case shows we are not going to let dangerous lies go unchallenged," they said.