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Morrissey versus NME in racism court battle

Former Smiths frontman attempts to sue ex-NME editor for libel.

By Androulla Harris Published 18 October 2011 14:43

Morrissey is attempting to sue Conor McNicholas, the NME's former editor and its publisher IPC Media for libel. A hearing was held at the High Court on Monday, which Morrissey did not attend. Today the senior libel judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, will annouce whether this claim for a trial has been accepted.

The case centres around an interview that Morrissey gave to the NME in November 2007, in which he referred to an "immigration explosion". He was also quoted as saying: "Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British idenitity disappears."

In his written submission to the court, Morrissey said that the 2007 interview had attracted significant attention from the press and that "Question marks over my being a racist have never since receded". The former lead singer of the Smiths has always denied allegations of racism. Another controversial episode in the singer's career happened onstage in Finsbury Park in 1992, when he wrapped himself up in a Union jack, leading to accusations by the NME that he was "flirting with disaster" and racist imagery.

Morrissey first threatened to take legal action against the magazine soon after the interview was published in 2007. His lawyers set a deadline by which the publication had to apologise before legal action would begin, but the NME issued no such apology. Acting for the magazine, Catrin Evans alleged that the three year gap between Morrissey's first complaint and the recent hearing suggests that, "this is not a genuine bid for vindication ... [The claim] simply didn't figure at the forefront of his mind."

If Morrissey's claim is successful, the main evidence for the trial will be a full transcript of the 2007 interview and e-mail correspondence between Morrissey's manager and the NME.

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14 comments

Thu, 2011-10-20 00:28 — fairplay (not verified)

a great songwriter and a patriot to boot

that should be celebrated by everyone.

Wed, 2011-10-19 12:24 — Hugh Markey (not verified)

The guy can't sing! He's got to inflate what personality he's got to make up for it.
He's no different in his way from 'the Beatles', 'the Rolling Stones' and many of the sixties British Rock and Rollers. No wonder Elvis joined the FBI and glad-handed Tricky Dicky. Bloody subversives!
What's the word we're searching for - ah, yes: billionaires who've made a packet out of rock 'n roll.
Bill Haley - now there's a guy with a pair of tonsils!

The Big Bands are Back!

Wed, 2011-10-19 12:31 — Dave C (not verified)

"Another controversial episode in the singer's career happened onstage in Finsbury Park in 1992, when he wrapped himself up in a Union jack, leading to accusations by the NME that he was "flirting with disaster" and racist imagery."

The singers who finish The Last Night of the Proms often dress in Union Flags and suchlike. Are they "flirting with disaster" and racist imagery"?

Wed, 2011-10-19 13:40 — jankaas (not verified)

Morrisey is lucky the Music Police never bothered to arrest him. he should be punished for spoiling so many great slabs of music. oh, and he is a typical Little Englander, so deserves scorn and ridicule for this xenophobic notion of "the British idenitity". the man's an eejit, i hope this costs him lots of money.

Thu, 2011-10-20 13:27 — Anna Chen

Well, he did, after all, refer to the Chinese as a "sub-species" in the Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-china-subspecies-r...
Good luck, NME.

Tue, 2011-10-18 15:52 — Skeptic (not verified)

What exactly are NME supposed to have done wrong? Unless they misquoted him...

Tue, 2011-10-18 15:59 — john woods (not verified)

What exactly did Morrissey do wrong? His comments on the effects of mass immigration on the indigenous culture seem fairly self evident to me.

Tue, 2011-10-18 16:04 — swatantra nandanwar

Exactly!
Or is it in the emails between his Manager and NME? And were they made public? If not, how can it be libel?

Tue, 2011-10-18 16:11 — swatantra nandanwar

Morrissey's quote implies that there is a 'British identity' and that it is 'being weakened'; both comments cannot be fully substantiated and are debateable.
But I agree with skeptic, what has actually NME done wrong?

Tue, 2011-10-18 17:41 — Paul1112

This is barely a story. Did somebody hit 'post' before it was finished? Nonsense.

Tue, 2011-10-18 18:24 — C Baker

accusations by the NME that he was "flirting with disaster"

If the NME did indeed use these words, I would say that Morrissey does have a case. Since when did wrapping yourself in your nation's flag become racist? I hope this action is not banned in the 2012 Olympics? I must remember not to flirt with disaster.

On the other hand, the music journalism of the NME is now so low, as to not warrant any readership or attention, so I hope this rag does not get any publicity from this story.

Tue, 2011-10-18 19:59 — RadicalEmu (not verified)

john woods: Who's actually indigenous in the UK?

As for culture, nothing's changed in my lifetime. I live in a diverse area, but life goes on as I've always known it.

Wed, 2011-10-19 21:36 — Fraziel1

I can remember reading the NME's comments in 1992 and there were regularly little remarks by its journalists alluding to Morrissey having dodgy views due to his union jack episode. Whenever i hear Morrisseys name its one of the first things i think of. I read NME for many many years ( i used to keep them and at one point had a pile 6 feet high)and they definitely had an attitude that if you didnt agree with the left on immigration, you were a racist so i do not doubt for a second that they have taken issue with Morissey and perhaps even implied he is a racist.