Saatchi and Nigella divorce

Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have declared that neither of them will make a financial claim against the other in their divorce proceedings.

A statement issued on behalf of Lawson and Saatchi said: "Following the separation of Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi there has been much inaccurate speculation in the press over the weekend.

"Nigella and Charles would like to clarify the position. We can confirm that Fiona Shackleton is acting for Nigella Lawson to ensure a swift and amicable resolution.

"A divorce will proceed on the undefended basis, the decree nisi is to be pronounced on 31 July, and neither party will be making any financial claims against the other.

"Contrary to some reports, Charles Saatchi has not consulted lawyers and has represented himself throughout.

"Both parties would appreciate privacy for themselves and their children at this difficult time."

Nigella Lawson's spokesman said: "There is no comment from Nigella."

Art collector Charles Saatchi has announced he has filed for divorce from Nigella Lawson - citing her refusal to defend his reputation after he was pictured with his hand around her neck at a restaurant.

In a statement, the 70-year-old told The Mail On Sunday: "I am sorry to announce that Nigella Lawson and I are getting divorced.

"I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way."

The couple were pictured on June 9 showing Saatchi with his hand around the 53-year-old celebrity chef's throat.

Read more: Clegg criticised over Saatchi

The London Evening Standard has said it will not drop Charles Saatchi's column, despite the art critic accepting a caution for assaulting his wife, Nigella Lawson. His column, on photography, is in today's edition.

In its leader column, the paper says:

• Read more: Clegg: Saatchi assault 'could be a fleeting thing'

Liberal Democrat party president Tim Farron appeared to lecture the Deputy Prime Minister today when he said that we all "say things we perhaps wish we didn't".

Asked about Nick Clegg's comments on Charles Saatchi accepting a caution for assault, Mr Farron told BBC News:

Clegg: Saatchi assault 'could be a fleeting thing'

The Deputy Prime Minister has been forced to issue a clarification after he appeared to suggest that Charles Saatchi's assault on Nigella Lawson might have been "a fleeting thing."

Nick Clegg's full statement said: “I completely condemn all forms of domestic violence.

"As I said on the radio, my instinct would always be to try and protect the weaker person to try and protect the person who otherwise would be hurt.

"But I was asked a very specific question about how I would have reacted to a specific incident which I did not see.

"I said I did not know how I would have reacted to that specific incident because I do not know what happened."

"The point I was making is that I don’t know what other people in the restaurant saw and I don’t want to make a judgement on their reaction."

The shadow home secretary said Nick Clegg demonstrated "how little he understands violence against women" after he said Charles Saatchi's assault of wife Nigella Lawson could have been "a fleeting thing."

Labour's Yvette Cooper tweeted:

The Deputy Prime Minister has risked criticism after using the word "fleeting" to describe an incident of alleged domestic violence between Nigella Lawson and her husband Charles Saatchi.

Asked on his LBC radio phone-in what his reaction would have been if he had been present during the alleged altercation, Nick Clegg urged caution because the details of the incident, for which Saatchi accepted a police caution for assault, were not clear.

"When you see a couple having an argument, most people just assume that the couple will resolve it themselves," Mr Clegg said.

"If, of course, something descends into outright violence then that's something different.

"I just don't know - there was this one photograph - whether that was a fleeting thing."

He admitted he had not realised there were more photographs and said that generally his instinct would be to protect the weaker person if physically threatened.

The husband of Nigella Lawson - art collector Charles Saatchi - has spoken about why he took a police caution for assaulting her.

He told the London Evening Standard: "Although Nigella made no complaint I volunteered to go to Charing Cross station and take a police caution after a discussion with my lawyer because I thought it was better than the alternative of this hanging over all of us for months."

Mr Saatchi accepted the caution after photographs emerged appearing to show him grabbing his wife's throat.

Read: Charles Saatchi defends Nigella Lawson pictures as a 'playful tiff'