The "Statesman" acquired the weekly "New Society" in 1988 and merged with it, becoming "New Statesman and Society" for the next eight years, then reverting to the old title, having meanwhile absorbed "Marxism Today" in 1991. In 1993, the "Statesman" was sued by Prime Minister John Major after it published an article discussing rumours that Major was having an extramarital affair with a Downing Street caterer. Although the action was settled out of court for a minimal sum, the magazine's legal costs almost led to its closure.