Death of free speech: Is Britain becoming the censorship capital of the world?

Monday December 21, 2009

Britain has a reputation as the home of free speech, writes Melanie Phillips in the Daily Mail. Now it is developing a reputation as the country where free speech is being steadily suppressed

A campaign backed by many eminent people has got under way to reform the libel law. MPs who have been slow to respond to this growing threat suddenly woke up recently when it reached Parliament itself.

The attempt by the law firm Carter-Ruck to prevent the Guardian newspaper from reporting a Labour MP’s question about the alleged dumping of toxic waste by the oil trading company Trafigura, on the grounds that this would break an injunction against reporting such allegations, was seen as a direct challenge to the supremacy of the legislature.

The resulting outcry forced Carter-Ruck to back down, but the threat to Parliament has apparently not disappeared. Anything MPs say in the chamber of the Commons has immunity from libel.

But according to Index On Censorship, the Speaker’s Office has now advised the House of Commons that, contrary to previous reassurances, MPs do not have the same legal protection for statements they make elsewhere in Parliament, such as in committees or other public meetings.

Full article:
Daily Mail (21 December 2009)