A GB News presenter and a social media commentator have apologised and will pay damages to the deputy leader of the Green Party after wrongly suggesting he participated in a riot.
Mothin Ali, a councillor on Leeds City Council, attended the 2024 Harehills riots to assist police and appeal for calm, but posts on social media accused him of taking part in the rioting, the High Court heard on Friday.
Defamation case over X posts
Ali sued GB News presenter Alex Armstrong and social media commentator Bernadette Spofforth for defamation over posts on X. Both have now apologised and have agreed to pay “substantial damages”.
Appearing at the High Court in London on Friday, Samantha Thompson, representing Mr Armstrong and Ms Spofforth, said the pair “apologise to the claimant for the serious harm to his reputation and his distress”.
Deputy leader since 2025
Ali has been deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2025.
