Morrissey Suing The NME For Defamation Today

Morrissey is suing the NME and its editor Conor McNicholas after the magazine refused to print an apology over the race row.

The 48-year-old music legend had given the weekly rag up until 1pm yesterday to print a retraction (presumably on their website), but after they refused to respond it has been confirmed that a lawsuit is being filed today.

Tony English, from Russells solicitors, said: “We are in the process of issuing legal proceedings for defamation on behalf of Morrissey against the NME and its editor Conor McNicholas.”

The magazine, published on Wednesday, accused Morrissey of using “naïve and inflammatory” language when discussing immigration in the interview and that Morrissey’s stance “dangerously echoes” that of the BNP’s manifesto.

In the interview, Morrissey said that Britain was “flooded” by immigration and argued that the country is not what it was 30 years ago.

A spokesperson for Morrissey said of the legal action: “They have not only misquoted Morrissey, they have omitted critical parts of the interview and distorted the tone of the piece, his responses and the questions he was asked in order to try and present an inflammatory case.”

Seemingly adding fuel to the fire, NME journalist Tim Jonze who carried out the interview abdicated responsibility for the comments made in the text of the feature saying that it did not reflect his “ words or beliefs.”