Libel Law Reform
EDM number 423 in 2009-10, proposed by Evan Harris on 09/12/2009.
Categorised under the topic of Civil law.
That this House notes that human rights activists, scientists, writers and journalists are prevented from publishing, and the public prevented from reading, matters of strong public interest due to the chilling effect of English libel law; further notes that libel actions in England and Wales cost 100 times more than the European average; further notes that the costs of defending a libel case are usually prohibitive and that even successful defendants do not recover their full costs; and further notes the report of the United Nations Committee on Human Rights which criticises English libel law for its stifling of free expression globally due to libel tourism whereby foreign complainants bring cases against foreign writers for alleged libel in overseas publications; believes that public interest is endangered by powerful vested interests and corporations being able to intimidate writers into not publishing; recognises the recent report by Index on Censorship and English PEN, Free speech is not for sale andfurther notes the campaign for scientific freedom by Sense About Science; welcomes the formation of the Libel Reform Coalition to campaign for law reform; and calls for a re-casting of the libel laws such that, while individual reputation is protected against malicious or reckless smears, lawful free expression is not chilled and there is a fully effective public interest defence for both scholarship and responsible journalism.
This motion has been signed by a total of 256 MPs, 7 of these signatures have been withdrawn.
MP | Date | Constituency | Party | Type |
Evan Harris | 09/12/2009 | Oxford West and Abingdon | Liberal Democrat | Proposed |
Denis MacShane | 09/12/2009 | Rotherham | Labour | Seconded |
Peter Bottomley | 09/12/2009 | Worthing West | Conservative | Seconded |
Paul Farrelly | 09/12/2009 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Labour | Seconded |
Philip Davies | 09/12/2009 | Shipley | Conservative | Seconded |
Adam Price | 09/12/2009 | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | Plaid Cymru | Seconded |
Adrian Sanders | 09/12/2009 | Torbay | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Richard Shepherd | 09/12/2009 | Aldridge-Brownhills | Conservative | Signed |
Andrew MacKinlay | 09/12/2009 | Thurrock | Labour | Signed |
Gordon Prentice | 10/12/2009 | Pendle | Labour | Signed |
Eric Illsley | 10/12/2009 | Barnsley Central | Labour | Signed |
Brian Jenkins | 10/12/2009 | Tamworth | Labour | Signed |
Lynne Jones | 10/12/2009 | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Labour | Signed |
Andrew George | 10/12/2009 | St Ives | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Rudi Vis | 10/12/2009 | Finchley and Golders Green | Labour | Signed |
John Hemming | 10/12/2009 | Birmingham, Yardley | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Nick Palmer | 14/12/2009 | Broxtowe | Labour | Signed |
Terry Rooney | 14/12/2009 | Bradford North | Labour | Signed |
Nick Harvey | 14/12/2009 | North Devon | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Dai Havard | 14/12/2009 | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | Labour | Signed |
Kate Hoey | 14/12/2009 | Vauxhall | Labour | Signed |
Brian Iddon | 14/12/2009 | Bolton South East | Labour | Signed |
Gerald Kaufman | 14/12/2009 | Manchester, Gorton | Labour | Signed |
Bob Laxton | 14/12/2009 | Derby North | Labour | Signed |
Tom Levitt | 14/12/2009 | High Peak | Labour | Signed |
Annette Brooke | 14/12/2009 | Mid Dorset and North Poole | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Ann Cryer | 14/12/2009 | Keighley | Labour | Signed |
Andrew Dismore | 14/12/2009 | Hendon | Labour | Signed |
Paul Truswell | 14/12/2009 | Pudsey | Labour | Signed |
Steve Webb | 14/12/2009 | Northavon | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Ann Winterton | 14/12/2009 | Congleton | Conservative | Signed |
Jim Devine | 14/12/2009 | Livingston | Labour | Signed |
Willie Rennie | 14/12/2009 | Dunfermline and West Fife | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Gwyn Prosser | 15/12/2009 | Dover | Labour | Signed |
Bob Russell | 15/12/2009 | Colchester | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Clare Short | 15/12/2009 | Birmingham, Ladywood | Independent Labour | Signed |
Robert Smith | 15/12/2009 | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
David Heath | 15/12/2009 | Somerton & Frome | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Paul Holmes | 15/12/2009 | Chesterfield | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Glenda Jackson | 15/12/2009 | Hampstead and Highgate | Labour | Signed |
Charles Kennedy | 15/12/2009 | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
John McDonnell | 15/12/2009 | Hayes and Harlington | Labour | Signed |
Denis Murphy | 15/12/2009 | Wansbeck | Labour | Signed |
Martin Caton | 15/12/2009 | Gower | Labour | Signed |
Neil Gerrard | 15/12/2009 | Walthamstow | Labour | Signed |
Sandra Gidley | 15/12/2009 | Romsey | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Mike Hancock | 15/12/2009 | Portsmouth South | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Anne Begg | 15/12/2009 | Aberdeen South | Labour | Signed |
Graham Stringer | 15/12/2009 | Manchester, Blackley | Labour | Signed |
Gisela Stuart | 15/12/2009 | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Labour | Signed |
Robert Syms | 15/12/2009 | Poole | Conservative | Signed |
Derek Wyatt | 15/12/2009 | Sittingbourne and Sheppey | Labour | Signed |
Graham Stuart | 15/12/2009 | Beverley and Holderness | Conservative | Signed |
Jo Swinson | 15/12/2009 | East Dunbartonshire | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Stephen Williams | 15/12/2009 | Bristol West | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Eric Joyce | 16/12/2009 | Falkirk | Labour | Withdrawn |
David Anderson | 16/12/2009 | Blaydon | Labour | Withdrawn |
Parmjit Dhanda | 16/12/2009 | Gloucester | Labour | Signed |
Jim Sheridan | 16/12/2009 | Paisley and Renfrewshire North | Labour | Signed |
Bob Spink | 16/12/2009 | Castle Point | Independent | Signed |
Tom Harris | 16/12/2009 | Glasgow South | Labour | Signed |
Christopher Huhne | 16/12/2009 | Eastleigh | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Fraser Kemp | 16/12/2009 | Houghton and Washington East | Labour | Signed |
Robert Key | 16/12/2009 | Salisbury | Conservative | Signed |
Andrew Love | 16/12/2009 | Edmonton | Labour | Signed |
Michael Moore | 16/12/2009 | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Malcolm Moss | 16/12/2009 | North East Cambridgeshire | Conservative | Signed |
Doug Naysmith | 16/12/2009 | Bristol North West | Labour | Signed |
Mark Oaten | 16/12/2009 | Winchester | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Graham Brady | 16/12/2009 | Altrincham and Sale West | Conservative | Signed |
Malcolm Bruce | 16/12/2009 | Gordon | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Paul Burstow | 16/12/2009 | Sutton and Cheam | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
David Cairns | 16/12/2009 | Inverclyde | Labour | Signed |
Ian Cawsey | 16/12/2009 | Brigg and Goole | Labour | Signed |
Ann Clwyd | 16/12/2009 | Cynon Valley | Labour | Signed |
Harry Cohen | 16/12/2009 | Leyton and Wanstead | Labour | Signed |
Janet Dean | 16/12/2009 | Burton | Labour | Signed |
Jeffrey M Donaldson | 16/12/2009 | Lagan Valley | DUP | Signed |
Fabian Hamilton | 16/12/2009 | Leeds North East | Labour | Signed |
John Battle | 16/12/2009 | Leeds West | Labour | Signed |
Richard Taylor | 16/12/2009 | Wyre Forest | Independent | Signed |
Tim Farron | 16/12/2009 | Westmorland and Lonsdale | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Lynne Featherstone | 16/12/2009 | Hornsey and Wood Green | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
John Leech | 16/12/2009 | Manchester, Withington | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Joan Walley | 05/01/2010 | Stoke-on-Trent North | Labour | Withdrawn |
Stephen Pound | 05/01/2010 | Ealing North | Labour | Signed |
Alan Reid | 05/01/2010 | Argyll and Bute | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Jimmy Hood | 05/01/2010 | Lanark and Hamilton East | Labour | Signed |
Chris McCafferty | 05/01/2010 | Calder Valley | Labour | Signed |
Siobhain McDonagh | 05/01/2010 | Mitcham and Morden | Labour | Signed |
Austin Mitchell | 05/01/2010 | Great Grimsby | Labour | Signed |
Colin Burgon | 05/01/2010 | Elmet | Labour | Signed |
Colin Challen | 05/01/2010 | Morley and Rothwell | Labour | Signed |
John Cummings | 05/01/2010 | Easington | Labour | Signed |
Frank Field | 05/01/2010 | Birkenhead | Labour | Signed |
Mark Fisher | 05/01/2010 | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Labour | Signed |
Don Foster | 05/01/2010 | Bath | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
John Austin | 05/01/2010 | Erith and Thamesmead | Labour | Signed |
Richard Bacon | 05/01/2010 | South Norfolk | Conservative | Signed |
Norman Baker | 05/01/2010 | Lewes | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Alan Beith | 05/01/2010 | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Roger Berry | 05/01/2010 | Kingswood | Labour | Signed |
Howard Stoate | 05/01/2010 | Dartford | Labour | Signed |
Gavin Strang | 05/01/2010 | Edinburgh East | Labour | Signed |
Gary Streeter | 05/01/2010 | South West Devon | Conservative | Signed |
Andrew Stunell | 05/01/2010 | Hazel Grove | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Ian Taylor | 05/01/2010 | Esher and Walton | Conservative | Signed |
Matthew Taylor | 05/01/2010 | Truro and St Austell | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
John Thurso | 05/01/2010 | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Robert Wareing | 05/01/2010 | Liverpool, West Derby | Independent | Signed |
Julia Goldsworthy | 05/01/2010 | Falmouth and Camborne | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Daniel Kawczynski | 05/01/2010 | Shrewsbury and Atcham | Conservative | Signed |
David Howarth | 05/01/2010 | Cambridge | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Jim McGovern | 05/01/2010 | Dundee West | Labour | Signed |
Anne Main | 05/01/2010 | St Albans | Conservative | Signed |
Louise Ellman | 06/01/2010 | Liverpool, Riverside | Labour | Signed |
John Greenway | 06/01/2010 | Ryedale | Conservative | Signed |
Adrian Bailey | 06/01/2010 | West Bromwich West | Labour | Signed |
Chloe Smith | 06/01/2010 | Norwich North | Conservative | Signed |
David Borrow | 07/01/2010 | South Ribble | Labour | Withdrawn |
John Pugh | 07/01/2010 | Southport | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Alan Simpson | 07/01/2010 | Nottingham South | Labour | Signed |
Stephen Hesford | 07/01/2010 | Wirral West | Labour | Signed |
Paul Keetch | 07/01/2010 | Hereford | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Ronnie Campbell | 07/01/2010 | Blyth Valley | Labour | Signed |
David Davies | 07/01/2010 | Monmouth | Conservative | Signed |
Hywel Williams | 07/01/2010 | Caernarfon | Plaid Cymru | Signed |
Lorely Burt | 07/01/2010 | Solihull | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Mark Williams | 07/01/2010 | Ceredigion | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Dai Davies | 07/01/2010 | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | Signed |
Tony Lloyd | 11/01/2010 | Manchester Central | Labour | Signed |
Mike Gapes | 11/01/2010 | Ilford South | Labour | Signed |
Natascha Engel | 11/01/2010 | North East Derbyshire | Labour | Signed |
Kelvin Hopkins | 12/01/2010 | Luton North | Labour | Signed |
Michael Mates | 12/01/2010 | East Hampshire | Conservative | Signed |
Tom Brake | 12/01/2010 | Carshalton and Wallington | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Michael Ancram | 12/01/2010 | Devizes | Conservative | Signed |
John Barrett | 12/01/2010 | Edinburgh West | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Robert Walter | 12/01/2010 | North Dorset | Conservative | Signed |
Katy Clark | 12/01/2010 | North Ayrshire and Arran | Labour | Signed |
Susan Kramer | 12/01/2010 | Richmond Park | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Greg Mulholland | 12/01/2010 | Leeds North West | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Anne Moffat | 13/01/2010 | East Lothian | Labour | Signed |
Andrew Miller | 13/01/2010 | Ellesmere Port and Neston | Labour | Signed |
Paul Murphy | 13/01/2010 | Torfaen | Labour | Signed |
Menzies Campbell | 13/01/2010 | North East Fife | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Tom Clarke | 13/01/2010 | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | Labour | Signed |
David Davis | 13/01/2010 | Haltemprice and Howden | Conservative | Signed |
Roger Williams | 13/01/2010 | Brecon and Radnorshire | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Gordon Banks | 13/01/2010 | Ochil and South Perthshire | Labour | Signed |
Linda Riordan | 13/01/2010 | Halifax | Labour | Signed |
Paul Rowen | 13/01/2010 | Rochdale | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Ashok Kumar | 14/01/2010 | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Labour | Withdrawn |
Eddie McGrady | 14/01/2010 | South Down | Social Democratic and Labour Party | Withdrawn |
Bernard Jenkin | 14/01/2010 | North Essex | Conservative | Signed |
Vincent Cable | 14/01/2010 | Twickenham | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Jim Cousins | 14/01/2010 | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Labour | Signed |
Edward Davey | 14/01/2010 | Kingston and Surbiton | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Diane Abbott | 14/01/2010 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Labour | Signed |
Richard Caborn | 18/01/2010 | Sheffield Central | Labour | Signed |
Janet Anderson | 18/01/2010 | Rossendale and Darwen | Labour | Signed |
Bill Etherington | 19/01/2010 | Sunderland North | Labour | Signed |
Peter Atkinson | 19/01/2010 | Hexham | Conservative | Signed |
Desmond Turner | 19/01/2010 | Brighton, Kemptown | Labour | Signed |
Kim Howells | 20/01/2010 | Pontypridd | Labour | Signed |
Dan Rogerson | 20/01/2010 | North Cornwall | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
David Heyes | 21/01/2010 | Ashton-under-Lyne | Labour | Signed |
Sally Keeble | 21/01/2010 | Northampton North | Labour | Signed |
Jacqui Smith | 25/01/2010 | Redditch | Labour | Signed |
George Galloway | 25/01/2010 | Bethnal Green and Bow | Respect | Signed |
Geoffrey Robinson | 27/01/2010 | Coventry North West | Labour | Signed |
Derek Twigg | 27/01/2010 | Halton | Labour | Signed |
David Drew | 28/01/2010 | Stroud | Labour | Signed |
Julie Morgan | 29/01/2010 | Cardiff North | Labour | Signed |
Nicholas Soames | 29/01/2010 | Mid Sussex | Conservative | Signed |
Simon Hughes | 01/02/2010 | North Southwark and Bermondsey | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Elfyn Llwyd | 01/02/2010 | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | Plaid Cymru | Signed |
William McCrea | 01/02/2010 | South Antrim | DUP | Signed |
Michael Clapham | 01/02/2010 | Barnsley West and Penistone | Labour | Signed |
Norman Lamb | 02/02/2010 | North Norfolk | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Sarah Teather | 02/02/2010 | Brent East | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Richard Younger-Ross | 02/02/2010 | Teignbridge | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Danny Alexander | 02/02/2010 | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Martin Horwood | 02/02/2010 | Cheltenham | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
David Chaytor | 03/02/2010 | Bury North | Labour | Signed |
Bill Olner | 04/02/2010 | Nuneaton | Labour | Signed |
David Hamilton | 08/02/2010 | Midlothian | Labour | Signed |
Hywel Francis | 09/02/2010 | Aberavon | Labour | Signed |
Jennifer Willott | 09/02/2010 | Cardiff Central | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
David Laws | 10/02/2010 | Yeovil | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Lembit | 10/02/2010 | Montgomeryshire | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Colin Breed | 10/02/2010 | South East Cornwall | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Jeremy Corbyn | 10/02/2010 | Islington North | Labour | Signed |
Phil Willis | 10/02/2010 | Harrogate and Knaresborough | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Brian Binley | 10/02/2010 | Northampton South | Conservative | Signed |
Jeremy Browne | 10/02/2010 | Taunton | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Douglas Carswell | 10/02/2010 | Harwich | Conservative | Signed |
Mark Hunter | 10/02/2010 | Cheadle | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
John Mann | 22/02/2010 | Bassetlaw | Labour | Withdrawn |
Mark Lazarowicz | 22/02/2010 | Edinburgh North and Leith | Labour | Signed |
Richard Burden | 22/02/2010 | Birmingham, Northfield | Labour | Signed |
Frank Cook | 22/02/2010 | Stockton North | Labour | Signed |
Ian Davidson | 22/02/2010 | Glasgow South West | Labour | Signed |
David Amess | 22/02/2010 | Southend West | Conservative | Signed |
Patrick Hall | 22/02/2010 | Bedford | Labour | Signed |
Emily Thornberry | 22/02/2010 | Islington South and Finsbury | Labour | Signed |
Kitty Ussher | 22/02/2010 | Burnley | Labour | Signed |
Andrew MacKay | 24/02/2010 | Bracknell | Conservative | Signed |
David Curry | 24/02/2010 | Skipton and Ripon | Conservative | Signed |
Malcolm Wicks | 24/02/2010 | Croydon North | Labour | Signed |
Martin Salter | 25/02/2010 | Reading West | Labour | Signed |
Stephen Hepburn | 25/02/2010 | Jarrow | Labour | Signed |
John Horam | 25/02/2010 | Orpington | Conservative | Signed |
David Wilshire | 26/02/2010 | Spelthorne | Conservative | Signed |
Geraldine Smith | 01/03/2010 | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Labour | Signed |
Joan Humble | 01/03/2010 | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Labour | Signed |
Andy Slaughter | 01/03/2010 | Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush | Labour | Signed |
Edward Leigh | 02/03/2010 | Gainsborough | Conservative | Signed |
Michael Connarty | 02/03/2010 | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | Labour | Signed |
Sammy Wilson | 03/03/2010 | East Antrim | DUP | Signed |
Anthony D Wright | 03/03/2010 | Great Yarmouth | Labour | Signed |
Marsha Singh | 04/03/2010 | Bradford West | Labour | Signed |
Jim Cunningham | 04/03/2010 | Coventry South | Labour | Signed |
Kevin Barron | 04/03/2010 | Rother Valley | Labour | Signed |
Chris Mullin | 08/03/2010 | Sunderland South | Labour | Signed |
Betty Williams | 08/03/2010 | Conwy | Labour | Signed |
Nicholas Winterton | 08/03/2010 | Macclesfield | Conservative | Signed |
James Plaskitt | 09/03/2010 | Warwick and Leamington | Labour | Signed |
Graham Allen | 09/03/2010 | Nottingham North | Labour | Signed |
Tobias Ellwood | 09/03/2010 | Bournemouth East | Conservative | Signed |
Martin Linton | 10/03/2010 | Battersea | Labour | Signed |
Jon Cruddas | 10/03/2010 | Dagenham | Labour | Signed |
Bruce George | 10/03/2010 | Walsall South | Labour | Signed |
Clive Betts | 10/03/2010 | Sheffield, Attercliffe | Labour | Signed |
Mike Wood | 10/03/2010 | Batley and Spen | Labour | Signed |
Julie Kirkbride | 11/03/2010 | Bromsgrove | Conservative | Signed |
Hugh Bayley | 11/03/2010 | City of York | Labour | Signed |
Keith Vaz | 11/03/2010 | Leicester East | Labour | Signed |
Michael Penning | 11/03/2010 | Hemel Hempstead | Conservative | Signed |
Patrick Mercer | 12/03/2010 | Newark | Conservative | Signed |
Pete Wishart | 12/03/2010 | Perth and North Perthshire | Scottish National Party | Signed |
George Howarth | 15/03/2010 | Knowsley North and Sefton East | Labour | Signed |
John Whittingdale | 15/03/2010 | Maldon and East Chelmsford | Conservative | Signed |
Alistair Carmichael | 16/03/2010 | Orkney and Shetland | Liberal Democrat | Signed |
Virendra Sharma | 16/03/2010 | Ealing, Southall | Labour | Signed |
Lady Hermon | 17/03/2010 | North Down | UUP | Signed |
Sandra Osborne | 17/03/2010 | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Labour | Signed |
Celia Barlow | 17/03/2010 | Hove | Labour | Signed |
Mohammad Sarwar | 22/03/2010 | Glasgow Central | Labour | Signed |
Michael Meacher | 23/03/2010 | Oldham West and Royton | Labour | Signed |
Paul Flynn | 23/03/2010 | Newport West | Labour | Signed |
Tony Baldry | 24/03/2010 | Banbury | Conservative | Signed |
Mark Lancaster | 24/03/2010 | North East Milton Keynes | Conservative | Signed |
Lindsay Roy | 24/03/2010 | Glenrothes | Labour | Signed |
Robert Flello | 30/03/2010 | Stoke-on-Trent South | Labour | Signed |
John Grogan | 06/04/2010 | Selby | Labour | Signed |
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