Author Archives: Robert Sharp

The Independent View: A chance for Liberal Democrat activists to speak up for free speech

There is a new threat to the Defamation Bill.

No sooner had the proposed law been liberated, after being taken hostage by Leveson negotiations, than Conservative MPs have begun messing with crucial free speech provisions.

Former libel lawyer Sir Edward Garnier MP has tabled an amendment seeking to remove a crucial clause from the Defamation Bill. The clause places some limits on corporations’ use of the libel laws. It does not bar them from suing entirely – just asks that they show financial loss before they do so. It’s an objective and measurable …

Posted in The Independent View | Tagged , , , and | 3 Comments

Libel law needs major reform

The clamour for a change to our pernicious libel laws grows louder every day.  In November, Index on Censorship and English PEN published Free Speech is Not For Sale, a report into the state of libel in England & Wales, and the bizarre phenomenon of libel tourism.  Impressed by this report, Jack Straw announced the creation of a working group to deliver reform.  Lib Dem peer Lord Lester announced on the BBC Radio 4 PM programme he will begin drafting a libel bill, and MPs have begun to sign EDM 423 (tabled by Dr …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged , , and | 7 Comments
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  • Rob Heale
    The boldest option would be to adhere to our aims set out in the Party Constitution to be free from poverty. People living in poverty can rarely be free because...
  • Chris Moore
    Battling on against the current with scarce means or attention from the media. Excellent radical liberal focussing on the issues that really matter. An...
  • Adam
    4,700 Jewish soldiers fought for the Prussian army in the Franco Prussian war. They fought with distinction - many of them received the Iron Cross. When Germany...
  • Paul
    Thank you Jane for your tireless work over the last decade. You stood for leader when it would have been easier not to, you’ve fought elections when it would ...
  • Adam
    "The problem is that being ‘understanding’ of anti-immigrant views led to the holocaust." This is both wrong, and bloody insulting to those German Jews w...