Banks is suing Guardian journalist for defamation over Brexit backer’s ‘covert relationship’ with Russia
Reporting by the Observer and Guardian journalist Carole Cadwalladr on the “covert relationship” between the multimillionaire Brexit backer Arron Banks and the Russian government was of the greatest public interest imaginable, her lawyer has told the high court.
Banks, who donated a record £8m to the Leave.EU campaign group, is suing Cadwalladr for defamation over two instances – one in a Ted Talk and one in a related tweet – in which she said the businessman was lying about his relationship with the Russian state.