VAN Morrison is taking legal action against Robin Swann over an article in US magazine Rolling Stone in which the Stormont health minister criticised the singer for his stance on Covid protection measures.
Mr Swann wrote the opinion piece for the music magazine in 2020, in which he expressed "disappointment" over Van Morrison hitting out against lockdowns in three songs he released that year.
In one of the songs, titled No More Lockdown, Morrison rails against "government overreach" and "fascist police", while lyrics also include the line "pretending it’s for our safety, when it’s really to enslave".
Last November it was revealed that Mr Swann was suing the east Belfast singer over chants he made on stage at a dinner event in Belfast's Europa Hotel in June of 2021.
Morrison accused the health minister of being "very dangerous" over his Covid policies.
Following the comments made at the Europa Hotel, Morrison was forced to cancel a series of gigs at the Ulster Hall over delays on relaxing Covid restrictions by the Stormont Executive. He called the north's rules the "most draconian restrictions of any region in the UK".
It is understood that legal action by Mr Swann also focuses on references the singer made to the minister in a media interview and an online video.
A solicitor for John J Rice and Co, which is representing Van Morrison, stated last year that their client "regrets that Mr Swann considered it necessary to issue proceedings".
In a statement today to the BBC, a spokesperson for the singer confirmed he was now taking legal action against Mr Swann and the Department of Health "as co-publishers" of the Rolling Stone article.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said it could not comment on active legal matters.
