MPs call for ban on ‘abusive’ lawsuits against media outlets in King’s Speech

MPs from across the Commons have called for “robust” legislation to tackle unscrupulous lawsuits aimed at silencing local media outlets.

The calls are part of a “day of action” aimed at highlighting the impact of strategic lawsuits against public participation (Slapps) on both local newspapers and wider society.

Slapps, described by critics as “lawfare”, involve the rich and powerful using defamation and privacy laws to intimidate and shut down scrutiny, threatening to tie up their targets in costly legal action.

Organised by the UK Anti-Slapp Coalition, Wednesday’s campaign calls for the Government to include legislation curbing the practice in next month’s King’s Speech.

The call has been backed by MPs from a range of parties, including Tory grandee Sir David Davis, Labour’s Lloyd Hatton and Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Jess Brown-Fuller.

Sir David said Slapps were “a grave threat to free speech here in the UK” and cost the justice system “millions of pounds”.

Mr Hatton said they were “abusive tactics” that prevented “journalists, whistleblowers and campaigners from shining a light on suspected corruption or foul play”, while Ms Brown-Fuller said the Government must legislate if it is “serious about protecting victims”.

The UK Anti-Slapp Coalition has pointed to small media outlets, including student papers, being threatened with legal action over their reporting at a time when economic challenges made them less able to deal with the potential costs.

Coalition co-chair Nik Williams said: “Local journalism is the lifeblood of democracy, and if an outlet feels unable to cover a story because of legal threats, issues of real public importance can disappear from scrutiny altogether.”

Justice Secretary David Lammy was a vocal supporter of tougher laws against Slapps while in opposition.

But since coming to power Labour has shied away from introducing standalone legislation to end the practice, so far only activating provisions passed by the previous government to tackle the issue in 2023.

Justice sources have stressed the need to strike a balance between access to justice and freedom of speech.

Coalition founder Susan Coughtrie said: “Despite leading the charge in opposition to bring forward universal anti-Slapp legislation, press reports imply the Government has now shelved plans to legislate, which if true is extremely disappointing particularly given the significant cross-party support.

“The longer the delay to take action, the longer the system will remain open for abuse.”

Economic crime

A Government spokesperson said: “The Government will set out its future legislative programme in the usual way through the King’s Speech.

“Last year, the Government implemented new laws to tackle Slapps relating to economic crime.

“These stop wealthy elites from silencing critics, journalists and activists with the threat of high legal costs.

“We are continuing to engage with stakeholders as we consider further action to clamp down on Slapps in other areas.”