Do British laws represent a serious threat to freedom of expression?
Ken MacDonald argues British courts suppress free speech around the world
and Eric Barendt makes a proposal for balancing privacy against press freedom
CATEGORY: United Kingdom
It shouldn’t take a Pope
Pope Benedict has attacked British equality legislation, claiming it counters free expression. Is he right? Brendan O’Neill and Naomi Phillips go head to head
What’s in a name?
A lot, say the press. And the Supreme Court agrees. Jen Robinson writes about the landmark decision that reversed an alarming trend of anonymity and “alphabet soup” in the British justice system
John Terry’s attempt to gag a free press
Significant victory against the superinjunction but the fight for free speech goes on says John Kampfner
Britain: Perverse logic
Despite the odd absurd anomaly, such as an attempt to prosecute for a depiction of a woman having sex with a cartoon tiger, the UK government’s “extreme pornography” laws have not have proved to be the threat to free expression says John Ozimek
Index on Censorship welcomes reversal of United Kingdom Supreme Court anonymity
Significant ruling endorses free press and open justice
Tweeting against freedom
The social media campaign against Rod Liddle, rumoured to be made editor of the Independent, is not just illiberal, argues Hari Kunzru, it is dangerous, censorious, and inexcusable. The centre-left has damaged the culture of free speech in Britain
A lesson from McLibel
Corporations should be open to uninhibited public scrutiny and criticism argues Julian Petley. To prevent legal intimidation, multinationals should be treated like public authorities and prevented from silencing their critics with libel threats
Straw announces plans to reduce libel costs
English PEN and Index on Censorship today welcome Jack Straw’s proposal to make dramatic cuts to lawyers’ win fees in defamation cases, but warn that fees are only one part of a libel system in need of serious reform.
The right to veil
Suggesting banning women from dressing how they please is deeply offensive says Jess McCabe