Lowe successfully sued The Times over allegations he treated manager Dave Jones 'shabbily'.
In 2005, a High Court jury awarded Rupert Lowe £250,000 in damages in a libel action against The Times newspaper; the damages were later reduced to £50,000 on settlement.
The case related to a column by sportswriter Martin Samuel, who alleged that Lowe had treated former Southampton manager Dave Jones 'shabbily' following Jones's suspension due to allegations that were later dropped.
Lowe pledged to donate the award to charity.
The case demonstrated Lowe's willingness to use legal action to protect his reputation — a trait that has continued in his political career.