Leading editors, lawyers, journalists, publishers, and other experts call on the UK Government to back anti-SLAPP protections to defend media freedom

A model anti-SLAPP Law drafted in consultation with leading media lawyers and industry experts on behalf of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition and supported by over 70 leading editors, lawyers, publishers, and journalists was sent to the Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab. The model law outlines how best the UK Government can make good on its commitment made in July to reform the law to introduce robust anti-SLAPP measures and protect those holding the powerful to account. 

Signatories to the letter calling on the UK Government to put forward legislation in line with the model UK Anti-SLAPP Law include senior editors from leading UK newspapers and media outlets including Paul Dacre, Editor-in-Chief of DMG media; Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian; Alison Phillips, Editor of The Mirror; Ted Verity, Editor of the Daily Mail; Chris Evans, Editor of The Telegraph; Tony Gallagher, Editor of The Times; Emma Tucker, Editor of The Sunday Times; Victoria Newton, Editor-in-Chief of The Sun; Roula Khalaf, Editor of the Financial Times; John Micklethwait, Editor-in-Chief of Bloomberg News and Alessandra Galloni, Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News Agency. Other signatories include prominent journalists, publishers, lawyers and experts, such as Paul and Matthew Caruana Galizia; Joanna Prior, CEO of Macmillan Publishers International Limited; Mark Stephens CBE, Partner at Howard Kennedy LLP; Arabella Pike, Publishing Director, HarperCollins Publishers; and Catherine Belton, journalist and author of the book Putin’s People. 

High-profile cases – such as those targeting Catherine Belton, Tom Burgis, Elliot Higgins, and more recently openDemocracy and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism – are just the most visible manifestation of a much broader problem which has affected newspapers across Fleet Street and the wider UK media industry for many years. The model Law addresses this problem by including important amendments to the Ministry of Justice’s framework, such as a robust filter mechanism that empowers courts to swiftly dispose of SLAPPs; penalties that are sufficient to deter the use of SLAPPs and provide full compensation to those targeted; and protective measures for SLAPP victims including cost protections and other important safeguards. 

To access the full press release, please click here.

You can download the full Model Anti-SLAPP Law using the button below.