Wednesday 24 November 2021

In a series of dramatic announcements, the Beverley councillor at the centre of a social media storm has revealed he’s reached an out of court settlement with Jeremy Corbyn over a doctored picture showing the former Labour leader with a poppy wreath looking over the burning taxi that was blown up by a suicide bomber on Remembrance Sunday.

Cllr Paul Nickerson, who represents Minster and Woodmansey Ward on East Riding Council, says he will pay “substantial” damages and legal costs to Mr Corbyn who, in turn, has said he will use the money to support charities close to his heart, including one in Liverpool.

Cllr Nickerson also revealed that his previous claims the postings on Twitter and Facebook were the result of his accounts being hacked were wrong. He said in a statement: “In trying to explain it away that my account was hacked I made a knee-jerk reaction which further let people down and only made the problem worse.”

Finally, Cllr Nickerson, who had already been suspended by the ruling Conservative group on the council pending an investigation, revealed that he had now left the group and going forward will sit as an Independent. The statement concluded: “I have also promised to spend the next year raising £10,000 for youth charities in Beverley including the boxing club so something more positive might eventually come out of this.”

Cllr Nickerson’s Facebook statement can be read in full HERE

In other news, members of Beverley Lions Club will conduct the traditional Christmas light switch-on service at the town’s Market Cross from 4pm this Sunday, with the Mayor of Beverley, Cllr Linda Johnson, and the president of the Lions Club flicking the switch.