Jack Monroe has called in her lawyers after a bitter Twitter row which saw Katie Hopkinsfalsely accuse the celebrity chef and Guardian columnist of vandalising a war memorial.
Monroe, whose father served in the Falklands War and whose brother is in the RAF, instructed Hopkins to delete the tweet, issue a public apology and make a donation to a charity following the incident a fortnight ago.
Hopkins, who claims to have confused Monroe with fellow Guardian columnist Laurie Penny, deleted the tweet but was unable to resist a further dig, asking: “Can someone explain to me – in 10 words or less – the difference between @PennyRed (Laurie Penny) and social anthrax @MsJackMonroe?”
The Sun columnist made her comments after an anti-austerity protest against the new Conservative government in May. It saw a Women of World War II monument on Whitehall daubed with the words: "Fuck tory scum."
Penny made the headlines after appearing to defend the vandalism.
On Tuesday Hopkins tweeted that she had “got it wrong” and that she had been “confused about identity.”
@MsJackMonroe I was confused about identity. I got it wrong.
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) June 2, 2015As you know @KTHopkins this is in the hands of my solicitors - you will need to write to them.
— Jack Monroe (@MsJackMonroe) June 2, 2015This afternoon Monroe confirmed she had referred the matter to media lawyer Mark Lewis.
She told Huffington Post UK: “Katie sent me a message on Twitter this morning acknowledging she had made a mistake but with no apology.
“The level of abuse she prompted her followers to send after her initial tweet went on for days and the messages I received were obscene and upsetting. As she is aware, this is in the hands of my solicitors, so she needs to write to them directly.
I have NEVER 'scrawled on a memorial'. Brother in the RAF. Dad was a Para in the Falklands. You're a piece of shit. https://t.co/0IGhgT5BoI
— Jack Monroe (@MsJackMonroe) May 18, 2015I'm asking you nicely to please delete this lie Katie, and if I have to ask again it will be through my lawyer. https://t.co/0IGhgT5BoI
— Jack Monroe (@MsJackMonroe) May 18, 2015
“I tried to avoid this course of action by offering her the opportunity to apologise on the night, but she refused, instead using her large platform to encourage further abuse. I bear her no ill will and would like to see this matter resolved as quickly and amicably as possible."
Lewis told HuffPost UK that Hopkins has until Friday to comply with demands for an apology and a donation to a charity of Monroe’s choosing in lieu of damages.
If Hopkins does not comply, libel proceedings will be instigated.
Over to you, Katie.
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