The councillor has issued a full apology after accusing Corbyn of ‘praising and entertaining’ terrorist organisations
Suspended Councillor, Paul Nickerson, has apologised after he posted a photo superimposing Jeremy Corbyn onto footage of the Liverpool car explosion which took place on Sunday November 14.
The former Labour leader was depicted laying a wreath onto the burning vehicle.
In a statement published on his Twitter, Nickerson apologised for the “defamatory tweet” that “gave the completely untrue impression that Jeremy Corbyn supports terrorist violence”.
Nickerson maintains he did not publish the tweet himself but accepts it was published onto his Twitter account.
Following his tweet, the councillor was suspended from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Conservative Group with immediate effect and an investigation is currently underway.
Nickerson’s full apology was published on Tuesday: “On 15 November 2021, a defamatory tweet, for which i accept full responsibility, was published on my Twitter account.
“The tweet targeted Jeremy Corbyn and included a fake photograph of him laying a poppy wreath at the site of a burning taxi outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital where a terror attack had taken place on Remembrance Sunday killing a suicide bomber and injuring others.
“The false photograph, captioned by the word “unsurprisingly”, gave the completely untrue impression that Jeremy Corbyn supports terrorist violence including suicide bombings, which without any hesitation I wholly accept he does not.
“Without reservation I fully withdraw any suggestion or inference that Jeremy Corbyn is a support of terrorist violence. The tweet was wrong and I retract it. I unreservedly and sincerely apologise to Mr Corbyn for the hurt and distress that has been caused to him by the tweet.
“I entirely accept that the posting of the message the day after Remembrance Sunday aggravated the hurtful nature of the defamatory tweet.
“Accordingly I have agreed to pay Mr Corbyn substantial damages, which he is donating to charity and his legal costs.”
https://twitter.com/CouncillorPaul_/status/1463130394019209222?s=20
Responding to the apology, the former Labour leader and Independent MP for Islington North said: “The bomb attack on Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Remembrance Sunday was a horrific crime, which could have killed or maimed countless victims, including new mothers and their babies.
“Councillor Paul Nickerson’s photoshopped Twitter post about me failed to understand the seriousness of the threat and did a disservice to all those affected by the attack and their loved ones.
“So I welcome his decision to apologise for his defamatory post, to agree not to repeat the tweet which he has deleted and to pay substantial damages and legal costs.
“This substantial settlement will be used to support charities that are close to my heart: including one in Liverpool and one in my constituency.”
It is unclear whether Paul Nickerson will be reinstated as a Conservative councillor.
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