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McAlpine drops Twitter actions

Conservative peer Lord McAlpine has dropped defamation claims against Twitter users with fewer than 500 followers who wrongly named him as a paedophile. But he is pursuing legal action against the Commons Speaker's wife Sally Bercow.

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Background: McAlpine wrongly named in botched report

  • Lord McAlpine was wrongly implicated by Newsnight on November 2, 2012, as being part of a paedophile ring which targeted children at a care home in Wrexham.
  • His name was then widely mentioned on the internet, particularly Twitter.
  • The former Tory politician reached a £185,000 settlement with the BBC for its botched investigation.
  • He also received £125,000 from ITV and Phillip Schofield relating to a This Morning programme broadcast on November 8.
  • Lord McAlpine is pursuing Sally Bercow, wife of Commons speaker John, over comments she made on the social networking site.

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