News & Updates

Yesterday, MPs from different political parties stood up in the House of Commons to describe press reports from media outlets across the country. What made this moment unique was that each story had never been published. The reason? Legal threats prevented them entering the public domain. 

A legal letter from a London-based law firm was sent to every sitting MP threatening abusive legal action, exposing worrying vulnerabilities in protecting public interest speech from SLAPPs and abusive legal threats.

The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition is disappointed that an anti-SLAPP Law was not included in yesterday’s King’s Speech, especially considering the cross-party support for reform and the progress already made towards this vital issue.

Following the UK General Election on 4 July 2024, the co-chairs of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition have today written to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Justice, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Foreign Secretary welcoming them to Government and calling on them to bring forward a robust standalone Anti-SLAPP Law. 

While elections are moments of heightened stakes and scrutiny, politicians and others connected to political parties should not resort to legal threats to counter negative publicity or media reporting in the public interest. 

With the announcement of the General Election, the SLAPP Bill has been discarded. The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition responds to this missed opportunity and calls on the incoming administration to pick up where the current Government left off.

The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition expresses its support for Greenpeace as it faces a legal action claiming more than three quarters of a million pounds in damages as a result of their peaceful protest against the activities of the multinational oil and gas company, Shell.

The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition remains seriously concerned about the viability of the Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Bill (SLAPP Bill), after key opportunities were missed to strengthen the Bill during the House of Commons committee stage that took place yesterday, Wednesday 8 May.

Over sixty editors, journalists, writers, publishers, academics, and experts have written to Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC MP calling on the Government to support amendments to the Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Bill.