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Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal, a former contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race whose real name is Colin Seymour, have successfully sued actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox for libel over a dispute that occurred on X. During the exchange, Fox referred to Mr. Blake and Crystal as "pedophiles" after they expressed support for Sainsbury's decision to mark Black History Month in October 2020. As a result of losing the High Court libel case, Fox has been ordered to pay £90,000 to each of them, totaling £180,000.
The Reclaim Party founder attempted to counter-sue the pair and broadcaster Nicola Thorp over tweets accusing him of racism, but his counter-claims were dismissed in January by Mrs. Justice Collins Rice. In today's ruling, the judge stated that Fox's comments had caused "wholly undeserved public ordeal" to Mr. Blake and Mr. Seymour and that the libel was "gross, groundless and indefensible", with "distressing and harmful real-world consequences" for them. The judge also accepted that Mr. Blake and Mr. Seymour experienced Fox's libel as "distinctly homophobic".
The judge ordered Fox not to repeat the same, or similar allegations, on pain of being found guilty of contempt of court. However, the judge declined to make an order forcing Fox to publish a summary of the ruling on his X account, where he has almost half a million followers.
At a hearing in March, Lorna Skinner KC, for Mr. Blake and Mr. Seymour, argued that they should receive "at least six-figure sums" from Fox. However, Patrick Green KC, for Fox, said the starting point of the damages should be between £10,000 and £20,000, with the total being "substantially lowered" due to an apology from Fox and the alleged absence of malice.
In response to the ruling, Fox claimed that it was a "bullies' charter" and said that he would appeal the decision. He also posted on X, saying that the judgment was "so surreal it's almost funny."
The judge recognized Mr. Blake and Mr. Seymour's resilience and resourcefulness in trying to get on with the rest of their lives and acknowledged the strong support they received at home, in the workplace, and some quarters of the public and media to help them do so. The judge stated that if Fox's random selection of victims had turned out to be less self-sufficient and well-supported individuals, the damages awarded would have been considerably higher.
Overall, the ruling represents a significant victory for Mr. Blake and Mr. Seymour, who have successfully fought for their legal rights and are entitled to the law's effective vindication.
