Alan Duncan MP is suing the group over two print articles and two online articles relating to a ‘sleaze inquiry’ into Conservative party members, which he claims were defamatory.
He is also seeking an injunction to prevent the allegations from being repeated.
Plans proposed by London’s new mayor Boris Johnson to create a detailed crime map of the city have stalled because of legal concerns.
The Conservative party’s agenda to make data more widely available has raised concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office, which says releasing such information could breach data protection laws.
The Royal Chartered Institute of Surveyors has also expressed fears that publishing a crime map could affect house prices.