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BBC denies outside pressure on Adams libel case decision

PA Media Gerry Adams, pictured from the shoulders up. He has short grey hair and a grey beard. He is wearing a navy suit, white shirt and a navy and yellow tie. He is also wearing round glasses. PA Media
Gerry Adams won €100,000 in damages on 30 May 2025 over a BBC story about the murder of a British agent

The BBC has denied there was any outside pressure on its decision to defend a libel case against Gerry Adams.

The former Sinn Féin leader won €100,000 (£84,000) in damages on 30 May 2025 over a BBC story about the murder of a British agent.

Top libel lawyer, Paul Tweed, who represented Mr Adams asked out outside court in June, on the day of the verdict, that "it begs the question whether there has been any political or outside pressure on the BBC to take the stand they have taken".

The BBC has said it "made its own decision to defend the case" and it is "independent of external interests".

In The State of Us podcast Mr Tweed reiterated his questions outside court about whether there was political or outside pressure on the BBC to take the case to court.

"I have reason to, and I believe I had good reason to say that," he said.

"That case should've been settled, I made that very clear outside the court. I'm not pointing the finger at any individual, but a decision was taken by somebody, or some people, that the case would not be settled in terms of a payment of damages and costs," he told the podcast.

He added: "Whoever made that decision can answer for the consequences that happened, because I personally did everything I could to get the case resolved and the client was taking my advice all the way through, but it didn't happen.

"If the BBC want to state publicly that that was not the case, it's up to them to do it. I'm just saying that's what it looked like to me. I could not understand why this case did not settle.

"I would be reassured, if the Director General makes an unequivocal statement, then I would absolutely accept that."

Mr Tweed told the podcast: "A local MLA isn't going to have the ability to dictate BBC policy. It would have to be political interference at a high level.

"I'm not making the allegation, I'm saying that that's my belief. I don't know, it's just my opinion, I've no idea." he said.

PA Media Paul Tweed. He has grey hair and is wearing a navy suit, blue shirt and navy tie. He has a black backpack on and the straps on his shoulders are visible. PA Media
Paul Tweed said outside court he "believed the case should have been settled"

Mr Tweed was also asked about the decision to take the case in Dublin rather than Belfast, where the programme was made.

"The outcome of the case speaks for itself. There were 12 people, all walks of life, and they made a decision.

"Yes, you can say it's a Dublin jury, would a Belfast jury of seven people may have come to a different conclusion.

"This is a very small community, it was a politicised case, to put it mildly, so I make judgements on behalf of my client and decide which way I'm going to play them to get the vindication my client was seeking."

In a statement to The State of Us podcast, a BBC spokesperson said: "The BBC made its own decision to defend this case.

"We are independent of external interests. That is who we are, and what we do. Always."