"On the day of publication, they received a letter from Adam Richardson, a barrister from 4-5 Gray's Inn Square chambers, who said he was representing Sumner. He accused the news service of misuse of private information and breach of confidence, as well as breach of the editors' code. The news service was given two days to take Sumner's name out of the article, otherwise Richardson said he had been instructed to commence proceedings and pursue damages."
"The news website named Ed Sumner, now head of communications at Reform, as being one of the recipients of the offensive WhatsApp messages while working for her in August 2023. Sumner's name had been redacted in a Senedd report on the subject, but as Nation.Cymru had exposed the story revealing the existence of the WhatsApp messages in the first place a year earlier, and having named Sumner at the time the news service chose to name him again."
"We were surprised really, because Reform hates us but they haven't actually threatened us before, said Mansfield. As well as representing individual clients through his chambers, Richardson additionally works for the Reform UK national party, describing himself as a barrister for Reform. Despite the legal letter from Richardson, Mansfield said he was having none of it. No, was the response to Richardson's demand."
Nation.Cymru identified Ed Sumner, now head of communications at Reform UK, as a recipient of offensive WhatsApp messages sent while working for Laura Anne Jones in August 2023. Sumner's name had been redacted in a Senedd report, but the news service had previously exposed the messages and named him, so it named him again. On publication day a barrister associated with Reform UK sent a legal letter alleging misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breach of the editors' code, demanding removal of Sumner's name within two days and warning of court proceedings and damages. The news service refused to comply.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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