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The MP for Leeds East is to sue The Sun newspaper for libel after they published a story linking him to a band who appeared to use Nazi imagery in a social media post.

Labour's Richard Burgon was subject of the story back in April 2017, in which it was reported he had joined the Leeds heavy metal band Dream Troll.

The story entitled "Reich and Roll: Labour's justice boss ridiculed after he joins a heavy metal band that delights in Nazi symbols". It followed the band tweeting artwork claiming "We Sold Our Soul for Rock'n'Roll", which used an "S" similar to that used by Nazi organisation the SS.

Shadow cabinet member Mr Burgon claims the story was "highly defamatory, false and unfair", and said the artwork was a "spoof" of Black Sabbath's 1975 album of the same name.

(Image: Clive Gee/PA Wire)

But The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers, and political editor Tom Newton Dunn, have argued the symbol was "strongly reminiscent of Nazi iconography" and that Mr Burgon "demonstrated terrible misjudgment and exposed himself to ridicule".

The three-day libel trial commenced yesterday (Weds) at the High Court in London, and lawyers for the MP said the article involved a "deliberate misrepresentation".

His barrister, Adam Speker, told Mr Justice Dingemans: "The defendants accept that Mr Burgon is not a Nazi, that there are no grounds and never have been any grounds to believe that he is (and) that Mr Burgon is not an anti-semite."

Adam Wolanski, for The Sun, pointed out that Mr Burgon "aspires to be Secretary of State for Justice, to occupy the office of Lord Chancellor and to be a senior member of Her Majesty's Cabinet".

Mr Burgon said he was "shocked" when he saw Mr Newton Dunn had referred to Nazi iconography

He said: "For this reason, the question of whether he demonstrates good judgment is a matter, not just of legitimate comment, but a matter of vital public debate.

He said the image featured two "S"s which were "strikingly similar to the symbol of the SS", adding that Mr Burgon's on-the-record comment to The Sun, which said that the members of Dream Troll did not have "a racist or Nazi bone in their bodies", "did not seek to take the very simple step of distancing himself from the Dream Troll SS image".

In his witness statement, Mr Burgon said he was "shocked" when he saw Mr Newton Dunn had referred to "Nazi iconography" when he approached the Labour Party press office for comment.

He said of the article itself: "I saw it at the time and remain of the view that the intention of Mr Newton Dunn was to smear me and cause maximum damage."

Mr Burgon added that he received an email a week after the article was published which said: "We are going to hang you you f**king weird piece of s**t."

Mr Burgon will complete his evidence on Thursday morning, and is expected to be followed by Mr Newton Dunn's evidence and cross-examination. Mr Justice Dingemans is expected to reserve his judgment in the case.

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