High court overturns The Sun's appeal after being sued for Leeds MP 'Nazi symbols' story

Leeds MP Richard Burgon outside court following the libel ruling against The Sun newspaper in February. Picture: PA

Richard Burgon won the libel case against the tabloid in February, after a story was published claiming a heavy metal band he had played with used Nazi imagery in an album promotion.

The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and political editor Tom Newton Dunn, were ordered to pay £30,000 in damages after the court ruled in favour of Leeds East MP Mr Burgon.

Following the ruling, the tabloid vowed it would appeal the decision. The Rt Hon Lord Justice Haddon-Cave rejected the appeal on Tuesday.

Now Mr Burgon says he will use the £30,000 payout to fund a paid internship for a young person from Leeds.

Leeds MP Richard Burgon wins ‘Nazi’ libel case against The Sun

"Their slur linking me to “Nazi symbols" was found to be false and defamatory.

"I'll now set up a paid internship for a young person from Leeds - funded with my £30,000 damages from The Sun."

Mr Burgon took the newspaper to court after the story claimed his band Dream Troll "delights in Nazi symbols" after they tweeted album artwork with an "S" which looked similar to that used by Nazi paramilitary organisation the SS.

The MP argued the symbol was a "spoof" of Black Sabbath's 1975 album "We Sold Our Soul for Rock'n'Roll".

The court accepted submissions from Mr Burgon's barrister Adam Speker that The Sun had "manufactured a knowingly false and misleading story" by "doctoring the image published by the band".