Minister Nadine Dorries accused of spreading 'fake news' about Labour leader https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52653609 - a quick point to make on this. Deleting or locking your account after libelling someone on the hope that things will go away is a really *really* bad idea...

An individual, like Sir Keir Starmer, now has to show serious harm to their reputation. Suggesting a DPP was unwilling to prosecute groomers *is* seriously harmful, but the court also looks at whether actual harm was done ie, have lots of people seen it.

The court also takes into account, and this is the important bit here, what you did to undo the harm of what you published. So while deleting or locking may do something to limit the further spread of the libel, it does not undo the harm already done...

So, the best course, as well as deleting the tweet, is to make a very full apology, quickly and try to make sure it is shared as far and wide, or further, than your original tweet...

This was a really stupid thing to have repeated about Sir Keir Starmer, but a failure to undo that damage only makes things worse. Here endeth the lesson. I’m available, my rates are cheaper than five minutes in the High Court.