Update - Defamation Act 2013

In the UK Human Rights Blog here, Sarina Kidd updates us on the Defamation Act 2013 and quotes Mike Harris :

"The Defamation Act 2013 came into force on the 1st January 2014. The Act aims to reduce the ‘chilling effect’ that previous libel laws had on freedom of expression and legitimate debate. It is also hoped that it will prevent journalists, scientists and academics from being subjected to unfair legal threats. It is now the case that claimants, before suing, will have to demonstrate that they have suffered ‘serious harm’. Mike Harris of The Libel Reform Campaign stated that: 

‘we hope the judiciary will take note, and that in the future open debate on matters in the public interest will not be chilled by litigious oligarchs or corporations’."

The government's press release on the coming into force of the new law here. Original UKHRB in full here. Olivia O'Kane outlines the 9 keys changes enacted under the new law here. Introductory blog post here. The blog post which announced the enaction of the new speech law here.