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Government to report on libel reform soon
From: "Libel Reform Campaign" <libelreform[bat]inboxsystems.com>
Date: Fri, February 10, 2012 14:25
Dear Friends
Firstly, thank you to the over 3,000 of you who wrote to your MPs over Christmas
urging them to get libel reform into the next Queen's Speech. If you
haven't already, you can still write to your MP here
http://www.libelreform.org/news/515-all-we-want-for-christmas-is-our-mps-to-back-libel-reform-in-the-queens-speechThe next step towards libel reform is the Government's report on the draft
Defamation Bill, which we have been told to expect any day now.
This report is the Government's response to scrutiny of the draft Bill by MPs
and Peers and its response to the public consultation many of you took part in last
Summer. The Government will publish a new Defamation Bill if libel reform is in the
Queen's Speech in May; this report is important because it will set out the
Government's thinking on what should be in a Bill.
As you know, we urged the Government to strengthen the draft Bill to protect NGOs,
scientists, bloggers and authors writing in the public interest; to introduce a
strict test to ensure that bullying libel claims get thrown out early; to tackle the
problem of corporations using the laws to silence criticism and to bring the law up
to date for the internet age. If the Government's report doesn't go far
enough on these issues, we will have to take action.
We will be in touch again soon when we know more. Please do continue to get friends
to sign up to the campaign and help us by donating here
http://www.justgiving.com/libelreformappeal2011.
Best
Síle and Mike
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