Freedom of the press is not the freedom to lie

Paul Staines, the man behind Guido Fawkes, thought he could smear Dale with a blatant lie, claiming he supported Hamas. He  was wrong.

The High Court has now ruled against him, and he’s paying the price. Let’s be clear: freedom of the press does not mean the freedom to lie. Staines tried to hide behind offshore loopholes, thinking he was untouchable, but the law caught up with him. His attempt to weasel out of it by calling Dale "thin-skinned" is laughable—he's the one who caved rather than fight his case in court.

The reality? He defamed Dale and it caused real harm, and now Paul Staines is facing the consequences. The damages that have been awarded are going straight to charities working in Palestine. This was never about the money. It was about setting the record straight. And for anyone else thinking they can get away with spreading lies—take note...