House of Commons · General Debate
24 January 2023 · 1 other contributor
Opened by Bob Seely Con Isle of Wight
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Bob Seely raised concerns about defamation, privacy, freedom of expression, data protection, legal services and private investigators in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Proposes a Bill to make it more difficult for strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) by defining them, explaining their negative impact on freedom of speech and media integrity, providing examples such as the case involving HarperCollins and Catherine Belton’s book 'Putin's People', and introducing measures like a public figure defence in libel cases and early dismissal mechanisms to prevent meritless SLAPPs from reaching trial.
Describes the negative impact of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), providing examples such as cases involving Catherine Belton and the book 'Putin's People', Daphne Galizia, and other instances where SLAPPs are used to intimidate and silence critics. Seely also introduces a Bill aimed at limiting the financial and psychological costs imposed by meritless SLAPPs and introducing sanctions against those who abuse courts.