Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Lawfare and Investigative Journalism

17 October 2022 · 1 other contributor

Opened by David Davis Con Haltemprice and Howden

Democracy & Elections

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Davis raised concerns about lawfare and investigative journalism in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden raised concerns about lawfare initiated by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev against news bodies for reporting on his charitable foundations.
  • The debate highlighted the opaque structure of Nazarbayev's charitable foundations, suggesting they were used to conceal financial control and assets.
  • The Minister acknowledged the debate and committed to introducing a national action plan to protect journalists from physical harm and intimidation.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Davis Con Haltemprice and Howden

The right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden spoke about an outrageous case of lawfare initiated by the former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev against news bodies, including The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, The Daily Telegraph, and openDemocracy, for their reports on his charitable foundations and alleged financial misdeeds. He highlighted the opaque structure and lack of transparency in these organisations, suggesting they were designed to conceal Nazarbayev's control over assets. Davis emphasised that this legal action is an attempt by an ultra-wealthy individual to suppress free speech and intimidate critics.

Other contributors (1)
  • Nigel Evans Con Chorley

    Welcomed the Minister to his new position.

Government Response

Gareth Johnson

The Minister acknowledged the debate and emphasised the Government's commitment to freedom of speech and protection for journalists. He stated that SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) are wrong and need to be stopped through legislation. The Government intends to introduce a national action plan to ensure journalists feel safe from physical harm and intimidation, with proper accountability measures in place for those threatening them. The Minister confirmed that while the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill may not immediately include provisions dealing with SLAPPs, he assured that this issue will be addressed through legislation as soon as possible, when parliamentary time allows it. He highlighted the importance of getting the legislation right to avoid blocking legitimate actions against wrongdoers.

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