‘Think before you tweet... it is publication’

Paying tribute to Lord McAlpine, Monbiot said they had achieved an “unprecedented settlement” that he will carry out, over the next three years, work to the value of £25,000 with three charities, yet to be named.

He wrote: “I feel the proposed settlement reflects very well on Lord McAlpine, who is seeking nothing for himself, but wants to see charitable work done which could be of great benefit to others.”

Speaking to The Scotsman, Andrew Reid, senior partner with RMPI, engaged by Lord McAlpine to mitigate the damage to his reputation wrought by Monbiot and others on Twitter, and in other mainstream/social media, was equally fulsome about Monbiot and those who have made contact expressing regret at their online gossip.

“Lord McAlpine has received many touching letters of apology. They say they don’t really know why they did it or understood the damage they were doing. It takes some courage to acknowledge error of that kind. Many individuals have learned a lesson and the resolutions have benefited society too.”

Not only was Monbiot unreserved in his apology for tweeting attention to the allegations made on BBC Newsnight in November to his 55,000 followers, he was quick. He said “I have acted in an unprofessional, thoughtless and cruel manner, and I am sorry beyond words” on 10 November, the same day as the BBC made its apology, retraction and announcement of a series of internal enquiries.

The BBC later agreed to pay damages of £185,000, and ITV £125,000 for the Phillip Schofield ambush of Prime Minister David Cameron on This Morning, handing him a list of alleged paedophiles with Lord McAlpine’s name on it that had been found on the internet.

Beyond those major settlements Lord McAlpine, through RMPI, set out to bring the thousands of tweeters and retweeters to account for their part in the defamatory frenzy. They were to turn themselves in via an online form to which they would attach their offending tweet, and the timing and terms of their retraction. The web page states it is not Lord McAlpine’s intention to cause any hardship and invites penitents to make a donation to Children in Need and an administration fee.

There have been many criticisms of the exercise as intimidation by a wealthy man who has seen his reputation fully and widely restored.

“I’m getting two or three approaches a week from individuals who believe they have been defamed or feel they have been bullied through Twitter. Clearly there are lessons to learn here,” said Reid.

“People are realising the dangers if they disengage their normal standards of behaviour before tweeting. My advice is ‘think before you tweet’. There’s a difference between debate and abuse. People who tweet tell me it feels like a private conversation but it isn’t. It is publication.”

Reid says Lord McAlpine would like to draw a line under the affair as soon as possible. “The offer of offering an apology and restitution without litigation is on the table for anyone who takes it, and many have. Some haven’t. Mrs Bercow, for example, has not done so as yet.”

Is that the glint of a mailed fist within a velvet glove?

“Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it.”