Defamation battle between Van Morrison and North's former health minister settled

By Rebecca Black, PA

A long-running legal battle between former Stormont health minister Robin Swann and singer Van Morrison has been settled.

Mr Swann sued Mr Morrison for defamation after the singer branded him “very dangerous” over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions during an event at the Europa Hotel in Belfast in June 2021.

In a separate action, Mr Morrison sued Mr Swann and the Northern Ireland Department of Health over an opinion piece that was published in Rolling Stone magazine in September 2020.

The High Court in Belfast heard on Friday that both actions, which had been due to get under way at the end of September, have been settled.

Mr Swann stepped down as the North's health minister in May 2024 when he successfully ran in the Westminster election to represent South Antrim.