‘I have the best relationship with the Daily Mail – it has been everything to me. Why would anyone turn on the people who have helped their case the most?’ In a profoundly moving interview, Stephen Lawrence’s father breaks his silence and speaks his mind
Neville Lawrence, the father of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, has given an interview to the Daily Mail praising the newspaper's long-running campaign for justice over his son's 1993 killing, which he credits with securing the eventual imprisonment of some of the perpetrators. The piece appears alongside the Daily Mail's reporting of its court victory in a phone-hacking case brought against it by Prince Harry, which was dismissed, giving Mr Lawrence's remarks added significance in the context of the paper's public battles.
Mr Lawrence expresses dismay that his former wife, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, joined legal action against the Daily Mail, describing her decision as a betrayal given the paper's role in supporting the family. He recalls the pressure the newspaper placed on governments and the Metropolitan Police, and refers to a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of Stephen's murder in April 2018 as he tries to explain his ex-wife's stance. The article is written from the Daily Mail's own perspective and frames the paper in strongly favourable terms.
- Neville Lawrence praises the Daily Mail's campaign over his son's murder.
- He calls Doreen Lawrence's legal action against the paper a betrayal.
- Interview runs alongside the Mail's win over Prince Harry's hacking case.