Farage vs Corbyn

Thanks to the vagaries of the Elon Musk-era X algorithm, Jeremy Corbyn became the main character of what used to be called UK political Twitter for a few hours last week.

The reason turned out to be a tweet from engagement bait grifter “Blade of the Sun” – a self-published sci-fi author who also recently ripped off The New European’s Gisèle Pelicot cover, without credit.

“Jeremy Corbyn is suing Nigel Farage,” the account posted. “RT if you can’t wait to see Nigel Farage bankrupt.”

X being X, the discourse quickly descended into a row over whether or not Jeremy Corbyn was a millionaire, because the modest mid-terrace house in which he lives is in Islington and thus worth close to £1 million on its own.

But the lawsuit at the centre of the trend is an intriguing one, because in March this year Corbyn very much said that he was going to sue Farage – and got significant coverage for doing so.

“I have asked my lawyers to take the first steps in commencing legal proceedings against Nigel Farage, following a highly defamatory statement about me,” Corbyn posted. “We are a movement for peace — and we cannot stand by and let these disgusting and malicious lies go unchallenged.”

According to Politico, the legal challenge would centre on a GB News segment in which Farage had “accused Jeremy Corbyn of subscribing to an antisemitic conspiracy theory”

Nine months on, though, the legal record is curiously quiet. A search of electronic filings on the UK courts system produces no records of any legal proceedings either issued or served by Corbyn against Farage – suggesting that there was, so far at least, no legal action initiated after all.

Farage made no public statement withdrawing his remarks, nor has he apologised for them. But if there’s an explanation for why Corbyn loudly threatened a lawsuit then failed to follow through, it’s not on offer – requests for comment to both Corbyn and Farage’s offices were not returned by the time of publication.

Still, perhaps it’s a sign of the season from Jeremy: goodwill to all men, even Nigel Farage?