Jeremy Corbyn is threatening to sue Tory councillor after fake photo of him laying wreath by burning taxi at Poppy Day suicide blast by Liverpool hospital was shared on social media account
- The former Labour leader asked his solicitors to look into the post made Sunday
- It appeared on the account of Yorkshire Conservative councillor Paul Nickerson
- The picture superimposed Corbyn walking towards the burning taxi in Liverpool
- Mr Nickerson was suspended by council group, deleted tweet and apologised
- But he denied sending the tweet and claimed that it was a prank by his friends
Jeremy Corbyn is taking legal action over a fake tweet showing him laying a wreath for the Liverpool bomber.
The former Labour leader asked his solicitors to look into the post on the account of Tory councillor Paul Nickerson.
The picture superimposed Mr Corbyn walking towards the burning taxi at the centre of the blast outside the women’s hospital on Sunday.
It appeared on the profile of the Conservative representative from East Riding in Yorkshire, but he claimed he did not write it.
Mr Nickerson has been suspended by his council’s group, deleted the tweet and apologised.
The former Labour leader asked his solicitors to look into the post on the account of Tory councillor Paul Nickerson
It appeared on the profile of the Conservative representative from East Riding in Yorkshire, but he claimed it was not him (pictured)
But a spokesman for Mr Corbyn confirmed he had contacted his solicitor and was taking legal action over the post, which was captioned: ‘Unsurprisingly.’
Mr Nickerson is understood to have written to the Islington North MP to apologise for the tweet, which he claimed was sent after his account was compromised.
He also apologised on Twitter before his account was deleted but told the BBC his account had been ‘compromised’ by friends playing a prank.
He told the BBC: ‘As soon as I was able I deleted the comments.’
Mr Nickerson (left) is understood to have written to the Islington North MP (right) to apologise for the tweet, which he claimed was sent after his account was compromised
The original tweet is understood to be a reference to photographs of Mr Corbyn attending a wreath-laying ceremony at a Tunisian cemetery.
A row erupted in 2018 when the then-Labour leader said he was present when wreaths were laid at the Tunis site in 2014 to the victims of an attack in Paris in 1992 but did not think he was ‘actually involved in it’.
Leader of the Conservative group on East Riding Council Jonathan Owen said in a statement: ‘Following an inappropriate and offensive message which appeared on Councillor Paul Nickerson’s Twitter feed, I have suspended him from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Conservative group with immediate effect and an investigation will now take place.
‘All people in public life, irrespective of politics, should be united in condemning the terrorist attack that took place outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Remembrance Sunday.
‘It is not the time for inappropriate remarks, however intended, and they will not be tolerated in this Conservative Group.
‘Residents should expect their elected representatives to act in an appropriate manner at all times.’
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