Archive for libel
Libel Reform Bill published
Earlier today, the government published its draft Libel Reform Bill. It’s an issue that Liberal Democrats, along with many others, have been campaigning on for a few years now and one on which Lib Dem minister at the Ministry of Justice Tom McNally has said his reputation should be judged on. So it is good [...]
Lib Dems push forward on freedom of speech, freedom of information
Two snippets of news today about freedoms – a reminder of the importance of libel law reform and good news on extending freedom of information. In the Independent, John Kampfner (Chief Executive of Index on Censorship) writes: “There’s nothing like a boob job cream to get readers going on an important issue. The case of [...]
Good news on libel law reform as McNally stakes his reputation on reform
Liberal Democrat minister Lord Tom McNally not only repeated his support for libel law reform over the weekend, but also said it was an issue on which his ministerial career should be judged. Speaking at an event to mark the first anniversary of the Libel Reform Campaign, Lord McNally declared the current state of libel [...]
Libel reform bill set for spring publication
The Press Gazette reports: A newly published Ministry of Justice Structural Reform Plan shows that developing options for reform is expected to take from June this year until March next year. The plan gives as a milestone the publication next March of a “draft Defamation Bill for the reform of libel laws published for pre-legislative [...]
More details of Lord Lester’s libel reform bill released
Yesterday I covered the news that Liberal Democrat Lord Lester is going to table a bill to reform libel law. He’s now released details of what approach the bill will take:
Introduce a statutory defence of responsible publication on a matter of public interest;
Clarify the defences of justification and fair comment, renamed as ’truth’ and ‘honest opinion’;
Respond to [...]
Lib Dem peer to table libel reform bill
The Times Higher Education Supplement reports the promising news:
A Liberal Democrat peer is to launch a libel reform bill in the House of Lords that would offer greater protection for scientific debate against defamation claims.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill said he was introducing the private member’s bill in order to encourage the government to act [...]
Libel law reform proposed by Lib Dem Lord Lester
The Press Gazette reports:
Human rights barrister Lord Lester has drawn up a defamation reform bill which he says has cross-party support and would be available to whoever wins next year’s general election.
According to the Sunday Times, the Lib Dem peer’s “moderate” bill would tackle the issues of libel tourism and the huge costs to publishers [...]
Libel good news: Justice Eady rules in favour of Google
There was good news for people who operate search engines – and by extension for the users of search engines, which is pretty much everyone on the internet – with a ruling last week from Justice Eady in favour of Google. The case involved a UK training company, Metropolitan International Schools (MIS), who viewed comments [...]
