Palace files complaint against The Sun for its ‘Queen backs Brexit’ story

Buckingham Palace has filed a complaint with the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation today, regarding The Sun’s front page story claiming The Queen is anti-Europe.

A letter has been written to the press watchdog to register a complaint over claims that, back in 2011, Her Majesty voiced strong Eurosceptic views during a lunch with pro-Europe former Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

The Sun claims a source told them of an 'explosive' conversation between Nick Clegg and The Queen regarding Europe.

The Sun claims a source told them of an ‘explosive’ conversation between Nick Clegg and The Queen regarding Europe.

A spokesman at the Palace said: “We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front page story in today’s Sun newspaper.

“The complaint relates to Clause One of the Editors’ Code of Practice.”

Clause one refers to the accuracy of a story: editor’s must not print ‘inaccurate, misleading or distorted information’. The Sun’s article claims to be based on the claims of a ‘well-placed’ source who was also at Windsor Castle, where the alleged conversation took place.

The Mirror cleverly checked theMr Clegg says the story is ‘nonsense’ and the Palace reminded the paper that ‘The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years’.

The Mirror cleverly searched the Court Circular and found the only time Her Majesty met with Nick Clegg in 2011. People at the Windsor Castle lunch included Brexit backers Michael Gove and Cheryl Gilligan, also suggesting Gove’s former ties to The Times make him prime suspect to ‘leak’ the story.

Labour MP Wes Streeting has written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood, to demand an investigation into whether The Queen’s supposed comments were leaked by members of the Government attending Privy Council.

In his letter, Mr Streeting told Sir Jeremy: “If anyone present at the meeting in question were found to have disclosed information about what was discussed it would be an extremely serious breach of the rules of the Privy Council, and this possibility should therefore be thoroughly investigated and acted on accordingly.

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