12 May 10 | Uncategorized
Over at Liberal Conspiracy, Sunny Hundal’s got a bit of a scoop, with the contents of a document claimed to be the basis of the negotiations that formed the UK’s new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. Under the heading civil liberties, we find the following:
10. Civil liberties
The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour Government and roll back state intrusion.
This will include:
A Freedom or Great Repeal Bill.
The scrapping of ID card scheme, the National Identity register, the next generation of biometric passports and the Contact Point Database.
Outlawing the finger-printing of children at school without parental permission.
The extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.
Adopting the protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database.
The protection of historic freedoms through the defence of trial by jury.
The restoration of rights to non-violent protest.
The review of libel laws to protect freedom of speech.
Safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation.
Further regulation of CCTV.
Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason.
A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences.
The libel point would seem to echo what now-Attorney General Dominic Grieve told Index on Censorship in April:
“The Conservative party is committed, if elected, to undertaking a fundamental review of the libel laws with a view to enacting legislation to reform them. This reform could best be done by means of a separate Libel Bill and this is the preferred approach for us.”
This is a good start, but we need reform, not just review.
11 May 10 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Local officials summoned four journalists for questioning as part of their investigation into alleged slandering of a senior KGB officer. Police recently searched the homes of four journalists and seized their computers as part of the investigation into internet reports that claimed KGB officers had fabricated a case against a local police officer. Natalia Radzina of Index on Censorship award nominees charter97.org, Irina Khalip of Novaya Gazeta, and Svetlana Kalinkina and Marina Koktysh of Novaya Volya are awaiting the results of investigations into files stored on their computers, which have still not been returned to them. In a separate development, sources at charter97.org say that a second slander case has been brought against them involving comments posted by users on their website.
29 Apr 10 | Uncategorized
Former diplomat Craig Murray has revealed that polling company YouGov has accused him of libel.
Murray posted an article last week suggesting that YouGov had “rigged” a poll after last week’s UK election leaders’ debate in favour of Conservative leader David Cameron. The YouGov poll gave Cameron a clear lead over Labour’s Gordon Brown and the Liberal Democrats’ Nick Clegg. Other polls suggested a much tighter result.
Read Murray’s account here
28 Apr 10 | Uncategorized
Remember Robert Dee?
Robert Dee is a professional tennis player. Trouble is, Robert Dee is not a great tennis player. Federer he ain’t. He’s got nada on Nadal. You get the idea.
What Robert is (or was) very good at is (or was) threatening libel actions against anyone who pointed out the fact that he’s not great at tennis. Over 30 media outlets capitulated to his legal threats.
But now, a high court judge has ruled that the Daily Telegraph was within its rights to refer to Dee as the “world’s worst Tennis player”.
Mrs Justice Sharp commented in her judgment:
“The incontestably true facts are that the Claimant [Robert Dee] did lose 54 matches in a row in straight sets in his first three years on the world ranking ITF / ATP tournaments on the international professional tennis circuit, and that this was the worst ever run.”
Thing is, he’d probably still beat me.
