Libel News
Good news from Index on Censorship:
Following Index on Censorship and English PEN’s announcement of an independent inquiry in to libel laws in the UK this week, the Ministry of Justice today announced that it will publish a consulation paper on defamation and the Internet in the UK.
Speaking at an adjournment debate called by Denis MacShane MP (Lab), with support from Michael Gove MP (Con) and Norman Lamb MP (Lib Dem), Justice Minister Bridget Prentice agreed to consider whether reform of civil defamation law is necessary, and promised a consultation paper on defamation and the Internet in the New Year. She also agreed to seek views on criminal defamation, after the issue was raised by Evan Harris MP (Lib Dem).
Index on Censorship editor Jo Glanville commented: ‘This is very welcome news – and long overdue. Our libel laws have become an international embarrassment and remain one of the single most damaging restraints on free speech and investigative journalism in the UK.’
Jonathan Heawood of English PEN added: ‘I’m glad that the Government has recognised the need for action on our dysfunctional libel laws. At present, the public’s right to know is being eroded by the power of the wealthy to threaten chilling libel suits.’
Read more about Index on Censorship and English PEN’s libel inquiry here:
Read about today’s debate on Index on Censorship’s Free Speech blog here
Comments
| 18 December 2008, 9:11 am |
Oh dear.
Not too much interest in UK Libel Laws at HP David.
Still. I thought the article was interesting.
I am amazed at your output of what can only be described as high grade investigative journalism.
When do you get time for your actual job???
Clap.
| 18 December 2008, 6:59 pm |
One of President Obama’s first actions will be to sign into law a Bill rendering English libel judgements unenforceable in the United States. You might have thought that that been the case since 1776, but apparently not.
Yet if the current judicially imposed privacy law were enacted into the statute law, but with the burden of proof in libel actions placed on the plaintiff, then who could object to that? And why?
| 19 December 2008, 10:36 am |
Good Stuff
My general worry when the government says it will produce a consultaion for law reform is ‘oh here we go again’.
It’s like with the law of Murder reform the Government sets terms of reference and produces consultation docs (several years of entirely sensible work and recommendations) and then eventually does almost nothing except to make it somewhat worse overall by a bit of piecemeal reform pushed by Julie Bindel and her ilk.
I just hope the rather straightforward requirement to protect freespeech for which the English have only ever been lukewarm in favour does not get high-jacked at some committe stage or more likely by Ministerial meddling completely ignoring the recommendations, or only some of them thinking that is a reasonable compromise while somehow leaving out the most critically needed aspects of reform.
fwiw Craig Murray’s publishers have withdrawn from publishing the next volume of his memoirs because of apparent legal threats from inter alia Tim Spicer.
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2008/12/freedom_of_spee_1.html