New evidence is expected to be revealed during the five-day hearing at the Court of Appeal in London.

On Monday Mr Hamilton said he was looking forward to the start on December 11.

"We are ready to go," he said.

"We are fully prepared and hope that the appeal will be widely reported."

The appeal is against last year's failed libel action.

Mr Hamilton, a former Tory junior minister, was left with an estimated £2m bill after being ordered to pay both his own and Mohamed Al Fayed's High Court costs following a 26-day trial.

It is more than six years since Mr Al Fayed first accused his adversary of being paid £120,000 in cash for tabling parliamentary questions.

The appeal will give the Hamiltons the chance to put allegations to the Harrod's boss.

"The whole trial balanced on one man's word against another's - not on any official documents at all," he said.

The next decision will be left to the Court of Appeal judge after Mr Fayed has appeared in the witness box.

"To an extent we will just be interested bystanders," said Mr Hamilton.

"The boot is definitely on the other foot this time."