A legal firm says it has been instructed to pursue libel proceedings against the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party after he “made defamatory allegations of bribery”.
Bindmans LLP said its client, Michael Hollis, considered remarks that Lee Anderson made about a planning application submitted in his name to be defamatory.
Mr Hollis’s solicitors said the Ashfield MP – who was promoted to deputy chairman of the Conservative Party last week – had “refused to remove” the Facebook post and that they had therefore chosen to instigate the “first steps towards a libel claim against him”.
In a statement issued on Monday, the firm said: “On 1 February, 2023, Mr Anderson made defamatory allegations of bribery against a local man, Michael Hollis, who runs a food bank charity.
“Mr Anderson claimed in a Facebook post published to his 35,000 followers that money had changed hands in brown envelopes in relation to a planning application made by Mr Hollis.
“Mr Hollis is outraged by this allegation and, after Mr Anderson refused to remove his post, has taken the first steps towards a libel claim against him.”
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Mr Anderson’s social media post included a screenshot of a planning application made in Mr Hollis’s name, referring to a property in Nottinghamshire.
It was listed as a valid application on 12 December, 2022, with a decision due by 6 February.
Mr Anderson has been contacted for comment.
The 56-year-old former miner has a history of making controversial comments, from criticising England footballers for taking the knee to questioning if people using food banks were in genuine need.
Earlier this month, he compared the government to the “band on the Titanic” in a heated WhatsApp exchange about small boat crossings.
After Mr Anderson was promoted to deputy chairman of the Conservative Party in Rishi Sunak’s mini-reshuffle, “30p Lee” started trending on Twitter – a nickname he was given after remarks he made about the cost-of-living crisis.
Last May, Mr Anderson argued in the Commons that food banks were largely unnecessary because the main cause of food poverty is a lack of cooking and budgetary skills – and said nutritious meals could be easily cooked for 30p a time.
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The comments attracted criticism from poverty campaigners, ministers and opposition MPs – but Mr Anderson has continued to question food bank usage.
Earlier this month, in a tweet, Mr Anderson used one of his members of staff to double down on his point that nurses earning around £30,000 a year should not need to use food banks.
Mr Anderson also hit the headlines when he said he would not watch England in the Euro 2020 championships over the players’ decision to take the knee.
He said the anti-racism gesture was a “political movement” that risked alienating traditional football supporters.
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Mr Anderson is also know for frequently clashing with “stop Brexit” man Steve Bray – a pro-EU protester who uses a megaphone to shout “Stop Brexit” at MPs.
In their most recent run-in, Mr Anderson branded Mr Bray a “parasite” and stole his hat.
A former Labour councillor, Mr Anderson achieved notoriety even before entering parliament after defecting to the Tories and then suggesting during the 2019 election campaign that “nuisance tenants” living on a council estate should be evicted into tents in a field to pick vegetables.
The former miner will work under Greg Hands, who is replacing Nadhim Zahawi as chairman after he was sacked over his handling of his tax affairs.
Mr Anderson retweeted the announcement of his appointment on the official Conservative Twitter account, saying: “Yes it’s true. From the pits to Parliament. Feeling very proud.”