Labour MP Catherine Atkinson will use a settlement from the Mail on Sunday to fund scholarships for state-educated law students at the University of Derby. The newspaper had falsely claimed she attended private school and concealed it.
The case highlights how a newspaper's inaccurate reporting can lead to financial settlements that are then repurposed for social good, supporting access to higher education and the legal profession for students from less privileged backgrounds.
A new scholarship program for state-educated students will be funded by a payout from the Mail on Sunday to Labour MP Catherine Atkinson, following a false article published by the newspaper. Atkinson, the MP for Derby North, stated she will use the approximately £5,000 settlement to support local law students at the University of Derby who, like her, attended state schools.
The Mail on Sunday had initially claimed in early July that Atkinson attended a private school and had concealed this information from her biographical entry in Who's Who. Despite Atkinson correcting the journalists, the newspaper proceeded with the false claim, publishing it with a large photograph of the MP. Subsequently, the newspaper issued an apology and paid damages and legal costs after Atkinson, a former lawyer, firmly stated she had received a state-school education.
"I am grateful for the state-school education that helped me build a 17-year career as a barrister," Atkinson said, referring to her attendance at Sacred Heart high school in west London. "The claim that I had concealed a private education from my constituents was false. I am using the money from this settlement to support students from Derby’s state schools in beginning their own careers in law."
Atkinson, elected in the 2024 general election, emphasized the importance of removing financial barriers to the legal profession, stating that capable individuals are lost to the public when such obstacles exist. She called for the legal profession to actively seek out future lawyers from all schools and support those needing assistance to start their careers.
At least £5,000 from the settlement, after expenses, will establish the "Catherine Atkinson future lawyers award." This award will provide £500 annually for at least 10 years to first-year law students educated at a state school within Derby. Professor Kathryn Mitchell, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, welcomed Atkinson's initiative, highlighting the university's commitment to social mobility and inclusion.